f  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY,! 


^ 


Princeton,  N.  J. 


BV    1475    .B8    1839    c.2 
Brownlee,    W.    C.    1784-1860. 
The  Christian  youth's  book 


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THE 


CHRISTIAN  YOUTH'S  BOOK; 


AND  MANUAL  FOR 


YOUNG   COMMUNICANTS, 


IN   TWO  BOOKS. 


BY  WILLIAM  CRAIG  BROWNLEE,  D.  D. 

AUTHOR  OP   "  LETTERS   ON   ROMANISM,"   "  POPERY  AN   ENEMY  TO   CIVIL  AND   RELI- 
GIOUS   LIBERTY,"    "  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF    CHRISTIAN   LIFE," 
''  THE    CHRISTIAN   FATHER  AT   HOME,"   &C.  &C. 


"  God  of  my  fathers !  Holy,  just,  and  good ! 
My  God  !  My  Father  I  My  unfailing  Hope ! 
Jehovah  !  Let  the  incense  of  my  praise 
Accepted,  burn  before  thy  mercy-seat. 
And  in  thy  presence  burn,  both  day  and  night. 
Maker !  Preserver  I  My  Redeemer '.  God  ! 
Whom  have  I  in  the  heavens,  but  thee  alone ! 
On  earth,  but  thee,  whom  should  I  praise,  whom  love?" 

POLLOK. 


N  E  W  -  Y  0  R  K  : 

ROBERT  CARTER,  58  CANAL  STREET. 

1839. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1839,  by  Robert 
Carter,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern 
District  of  New- York. 


New -Yore: 

Printed  by  Scatcherd  and  Adams, 

No.  38  Gold  Street 


DEDICATION 


TO  THE  YOUTH. 


My  Dear  Young  Friends  :— These  pages  I  dedicate  to  yoUj 
who  are  Christian  Youth;  and  to  you,  who  ought  to  be  Chris- 
tian Youth.  I  dedicate  them  to  you,  who  are  communicants; 
and,  also,  to  you  all,  dear  youth,  who  ought  to  be  communicants. 

In  Book  I.,  I  present  to  you  a  brief  system  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel,  arranged  in  their  natural  order ;  with  Questions  on 
each  Chapter,  designed  to  revive  the  memory  of  them,  after  you 
have  read  them:  with  Meditations,  and  Prayers,  suited  to  each 
subject;  with  a  view  to  cherish  a  devotional  frame  of  mind  in 
the  reader. 

In  Book  II.,  I  present  to  you  a  Manual  on  the  Lord's  Supper  ; 
as  brief,  and  as  comprehensive  as  justice  to  the  subject  would 
permit.  It  consists  of  two  Parts.  In  the  First,  you  will  find  a 
short  system  of  Doctrinal  Instructions  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 
In  the  Second,  I  offer  you  Devotional  Instructions,  to  guide 
your  young  minds  to  the  Table  of  the  Lord.— They  may,  per- 
haps, prove  useful  also  to  Christians  of  riper  years. 

Accept  this,  dear  Youth,  the  fruit  of  the  labour  of  many 
anxious  hours,  and  prayers,  on  your  behalf.  And,  in  return,  I 
beg  an  interest  in  your  fervent  prayers  on  my  own  behalf,  and 
that  of  all  God's  faithful  ministers,  in  all  the  Reformed  Churches 
of  our  common  Lord,  throughout  our  land. 

I  am.  Dear  Youth,  your  servant  for  Jesus'  sake. 

W.  C.  B. 
Neui-Y(yrTi,  June,  1839. 


CONTENTS 


BOOK  I. 


PAGE. 

Dedication — To  the  Youth        -         -         _         .  3 

Introduction — Design  and  plan  of  the  work — A  brief 
discussion  of  doctrines  systematically  proposed  in 
Book  1. 21 

Chap.  I. — The  end  and  aim  of  the  Christian's  life   -      27 

God  sole  proprietor  of  all — thence  we  ascertain  the  great 
end  of  our  being — Our  happiness  combined  with  his  glory 
— This  world  the  school  of  our  training  for  oar  eternal 
home  in  the  skies — impiety  and  rudeness  of  the  man  oppos- 
es religion — The  world  our  enemy — GIuestions — Medi- 
tation— Prayer; 

Chap.  II. — Of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  rule  of  Faith       34 

Necessity  of  studying  the  Bible — its  various  names — 
Evidence  of  divine  revelation — The  necessity  of  it — its  ge- 
nuineness— authenticity — credibility — Proof  of  these — 
The  EXTERNAL  evidence — Miracles— How  these  prove  it 
— Prophecy — sketch  of  the  prophecies — Internal  evidence 
— The  harmony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  —their  purity  and 
spirituality — sublimity —  efficacy —  GIuestions —  Medita- 
tion— Prayer. 

Chap.  III. — Of  God,  the  Living  and  True  God        -      60 
I.  Of  God's  existence— The  God  of  nature  the  God  of 
the  Bible — px'oof  of  his  existence  from  theory  of  mind,  mat- 
ter, and  motion — In  these  proofs  of  his  being,  we  perceive 
that  he  is  a  terrible  Being,  as  well  as  a  good  Being — the 

1* 


CONTENTS. 


quoted — Contrast  between  Calvinism  and  Arminianism — 
Tiie  superiority  of  the  former  over  the  latter  gloomy  and 
dreary  system  in  several  particulars — President  Edward's 
proof  of  Its  tendency  to  Atheism — Another  evidence  of  the 
superiority  of  Calvinism  over  Arminianism — The  former 
opens  up  the  most  joyous  prospect  of  certain  salvation  of 
vastly  the  majority  of  mankind — The  latter  does  not  se- 
cure with  certainty  the  salvation  of  even  one  soul — The  lat- 
ter inverts  the  divine  order  in  a  material  point — Appeal. to 
youth  against  this  discouraging  and  gloomy  system — The 
attributes  of  this  decree  of  selection — GIuestions — Medita- 
tion— Prater. 

Chap.  XII. — Of  the  necessity  of  the  xitonement       -    198 

Salvation  by  a  substitute  only — he  behoved  to  give  the 
full  atonement — This  was  absolutely  necessary — Expla- 
nations— Proof  of  it — From  the  unchangeable  character  of 
God — From  the  threatened  and  incurred  penalty— Scrip- 
ture clear  and  full  on  this — the  appalling  consequences 
that  would  follow  from  not  requiring  an  atonement — 
GluESTioNs — Meditation— Prater. 

Chap.  XIII. — Our  substitute,  what  must  he  be,  and 

what  must  he  do,  for  us,  as  our  surety        -  -    207 

Guided  by  divine  Scripture,  we  inquire  what  our  substi- 
tute must  be— He  must  be,  1st.  our  near  kinsman — He  must 
be  absolutely  sinless— He  must  be  more  than  a  creature  ; 
he  must  have  power  over  his  own  life — He  must  be  able  to 
give  back  to  man  his  spotless  nature— Proof  and  explanation 
— He  must  give  an  obedience,  active  Bind  jMSsive,  most  per- 
fect before  infinite  purity — He  must  be  one  who  can  not 
only  give  back  to  man  his  holy  nature — but  guarantee  his 
perfect  obedience  to  his  God,  begun  here— complete  in  hea- 
ven— He  must  be  one  who  can  conquer  Satan — the  world 
— sin — death — GIuestions — Meditation — Prater. 

Chap.  XIV. — Christ  our  only  substitute,  fully  meet- 

ing  all  that  was  required  of  him  as  surety  -  -    216 

He  is  son  of  God,  and  son  of  man — He  presented  to  God 
the  Father  as  Judge,  a  holy  human  nature — Proof  of 
this — He  pledged  his  divine  honour  to  put  every  one  of  the 
ransomed  in  possession  of  a  holy  naturer-Proof — He  gave 
a  perfect  obedience  to  God's  laws — Proof — He  gave  his  di- 
vine pledge  that  every  soul  of  the  ransomed  should  in  due 
time  give  a  perfect  obedience  to  God  in  all  things — Proof 
from  Scripture  and  experience — He  gave  full  satisfaction 
in  his  sacrifice  of  himselfto  divine  justice — Proof — from  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  New  Testament — Enumeration  of 
the  names  by  which  this  work  of  Christ  is  expressed— Proof 
of  its  perfection,  and  its  acceptance — The  usui'ped  power 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 


of  Satan,  the  world  and  sin,  how  destroyed.— CIuestions — 
Meditation—  Prayer. 

Chap.  XV.     Of  Regeneration 235 

This  naturally  precedes  our  inquiry  into  Justification — 
The  necessity  of  this  renovation  of  the  heart — Nature  of  it 
— Author  of  it — All  life  is  from  God — full  illustrations  of 
this — Testimony  of  Scripture  on  this — Spiritual  life  some- 
thing as  real  in  the  soul  as  animal  life  is  in  the  body — Note 
— Anecdote — God  conveys  it  to  the  soul  by  his  own  ap- 
pointed means — The  result  of  this  life  in  the  soul— We 
have  power  and  disposition  to  do  our  duty — But  these  are 
not  lodged  in  us — They  are  in  the  fulness  of  Christ — and 
thence  conveyed  in  free  grace  amply  to  us — Analogy  here 
between  our  natural,  and  spiritual  lives — View  of  the 
graces  thence  put  into  active  operation — knowledge — faith 
—  Evangelical  penitence  —  GIuestions  —  Meditations —  / 

Prayer. 

Chap.  XVI.     Of  Saving  Faith.     -         -        -         -    247 

Description  of  this  christian  grace — It  is  the  free  gift  of 
God — Proof-- We  ascertain  its  true  and  proper  exercise  by 
keeping  in  view  the  nature  of  the  gospel  offer — true  idea 
of  the  offer  of  Christ  to  us  all — It  is  a  particular  and  per- 
sonal offer — Illustration — Proof— Faith  is  that  mental  exer- 
cise which  exactly  ntieets  this  gracious  offer — Hence  the 
personal  and  appropriating  act  in  faith — Illustration — 
Proof— Of  the  assurance  in  this  faith — nature  of  it— Dis- 
tinction— Proof— The  assurance  of  sense  different. — Ques- 
tions— Meditation — Prayer. 

Chap.  XVII.     Of  Justification 267 

This  the  first  fruit  of  faith — Definition  of  it — Descrip- 
tion of  it — The  meritorious  cause — what  is  meant  by  im- 
puted righteousness —  strict  theological  meaning  of  the 
word  imputed — Christ's  righteousness  being  made  actually 
and  really  ours,  it  is  thence  imputed  to  us — Hence  the 
pardon  of  our  sins — Hence  the  acceptance  of  our  persons — 
Hence  peace  and  joy — And  the  various  other  blessings  of 
the  covenant. — (Questions — Meditation — Prayer. 

Chap.  XVIII.     Of  Evangelical  Repentance.     -      -    268 

There  is  a  counterfeit  repentance — One  "  unto  death" — 
True  Repentance  issues  in  life  everlasting,  as  it  proceeds 
from  life  spiritual  in  the  soul — Definition — Description  of 
its  nature  and  elements — its  relation  to  true  faith — It  fol- 
lows faith  in  the  order  of  its  operation — Proof— It  begins 
in  the  mind,  or  intellect— It,  thence,  pervades  the  heart, 
producing  a  radical  change  there— It  is  displayed  in  a  sin- 
cere confession  of  the  lips,  on  the  model  of  the  fifty-first 
psalm— The  characteristics  of  this — It  issues  in  a  univer- 
sal and  thoi'ough  reformation  of  life. — GIuestions — Medi- 
tation— Prayer. 


10  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Chap.  XIX.— Of  Sanctification      -         -         -         -    277 

This  is  the  result  of  our  Lord's  atonement — Definition — 
Its  difference  from  justification — The  divine  author  of  it 
— It  is  a  progressive  work — Viewed  in  a  twofold  light — I. 
As  a  work  of  divine  grace — Explanation,  and  illustration 
of  these — God  begins  and  carries  it  on  by  his  own  means 
— Analogy  between  his  work  in  nature,  and  providence,  and 
this —Illustration — Proof— Of  the  manner  in  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  cleanses  us — Illustration — 2.  It  is  a  work  of 
duty  on  our  part — Explanations — Illustration — Proof — 
The  means  by  which  we  "  work  out  our  salvation  " — An 
important  maxim,  never  to  be  lost  sight  of^ — The  manner 
in  which  we  perform  this  duty  of  promoting  our  sanctifi- 
cation—How  prevailing  sins  are  gradually  desti'oyed  by 
cherishing  the  opposite  graces — Result  of  this  in  the  re- 
moval of  shame  and  confusion — We  draw  nearer  to  God, 
and  he  nearer  to  us — Another  grand  result — Deliverance 
from  the  slavery  of  Satan — How  this  is  done,  by  God's 
grace,  and  in  the  way  of  duty  on  our  part — Questions — 
Meditation — Three  Prayers  adapted  to  different  classes 
of  young  Christians. 

Chap.  XX. — Of  the  state  and  benefits  of  believers  at 

their  death      -         -         -         -         -         -         -    301 

Various  opinions  on  this  topic — Of  the  early  sentiments 
— The  opinion  which,  by  its  extravagance,  drove  the  mo- 
dern doctors  into  an  opposite  extreme — the  theory  of  Dr. 
Law — The  intermediate  state  and  place — Statement  of  all  , 
the  creeds  of  all  the  Reformed  Churches — First  :  The  soul 
is  made  perfect  in  holiness  at  death — Proof — Creeds  of  the 
Churches — Bishop  Bull  quoted  in  our  favour — Texts  of 
Holy  Scripture  —  The  serious  dilemma  in  which  they 
place  themselves,  who  deny  that  the  soul  departs  in 
holiness  —  This  leads  to  the  fiction  of  Purgatory,  and 
prayers  for  the  dead — Second  :  The  souls  of  believers  do 
immediately  pass  into  eternal  glory — Examination  of  the 
words  used  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  to  express  a 
future  state — Sheol — Hades — Ouranos — Gehenna — Our 
sentiment  fully  stated — Proof — The  unanimous  consent  of 
all  the  Reformed  Churches — Cluotations — Reformed  Dutch 
Church — Presbyterian — Episcopal — Proof  from  the  Holy 
Scriptures — Old  Testament — New  Testament — Examina- 
tion of  the  texts  which  speak  of  the  saints  departing  to  the 
bosom  of  Abraham — Criticism  on  the  meaning  of  Para- 
dise— Examination  of  ovir  opponents'  theory  that  Paradise 
is  "  distinct  "  and  "  apart  from  heaven  " — A  scripture  de- 
monstration that  Paradise  and  Heaven  are  precisely  the 
same  place — Review,  and  refutation  of  their  exposition  of 
certain  texts  pressed  in  to  prove  an  intermediate  place — 
Q.UESTION  s — Meditations — Prayer. 


CONTENTS.  11 


PAGE. 

Chap.  XXI. — Of  our  Resurrection  from  the  dead ;  and 

the  benefits  following  it 320 

The  body  will  sleep  a  long  sleep  in  the  grave — When 
Christ  will  descend  to  judgment — Day  not  revealed  — 
God  alone  can  raise  the  dead — He  will  do  it — Proofs  of  it — 
Enoch's  translation  in  body — Job's  testimony — Isaiah's — 
Daniel's — Our  Lord's  express  and  full  testimony — Texts 
— Specimen  of  doctrinal  arguments — Paul's  complete  argu- 
ment in  1  Cor,  xv. — Argument  from  Christ's  divine  pur- 
chase of  our  bodies — from  divine  justice — Contrast  be- 
tween the  resun-ection  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked — 
and  the  consequences  of  it  to  each  of  them — The  identity  of 
the  body  raised,  and  the  body  laid  in  the  grave — Proof — 
Questions — Meditation — Prayer. 

Chap.  XXII. — Of  the  Judgment  to  come,  and  their 

eternal  results 333 

Two  judgments  awaiting  every  one  of  us — The  parti- 
cular judgment  atdeath — The  general  judgment — Defini- 
tions— Explanations — What  great  events  must  take  place 
before  the  Church  may  look  for  the  general  judgment — Our 
Lord  will  be  the  Judge  in  that  day — Explanation — Proof 
— How  the  saints  are  said  to  judge  the  world— Our  Lord's 
descent  from  heaven  with  the  saints,  and  angels— Its 
grandeur — its  power,  and  glory — His  voice  heard  by  the 
dust  of  every  sleeping  human  being — Its  results — The 
voice  of  the  trumpet — Whaf?  and  the  purpose — Order  of 
rising — All  the  quick  and  dead  caught  up  in  the  clouds 
— General  conflagration — The  division  of  the  sheep  from 
the  goats — Judgment — Sentence  on  each  personally — Exe- 
cution of  that  sentence  instantaneous — immutable — Eter- 
nal— Proof  of  this — Self-perpetuating  power  of  sin — Man 
makes  and  compels  his  own  hell  to  be  eternal — Proof— 
GluESTiONs — Meditations — Prayers. 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK   II. 


PART  I. 


DOCTRINAL  INSTRUCTION  ON   THE  NATURE,  USES, 
AND  END  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

PAGE. 

Chap.  I.  The  Introduction 347 

Christ  the  only  King  and  Head  of  the  Church — The 
Holy  Spirit  to  be  recognized  as  the  prime  minister  of  the 
kingdom,  in  his  official  character — The  ministration  of 
angels — Sketch  of  the  different  ordinances  of  God — Go- 
vernment and  discipline  of  his  Church — Reading  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  —  Singing  the  praise  of  God — Prayer 
— Preaching  of  the  gospel — Baptism. 

Chap.  n.   Of  the  Lord's  Supper       -         -         -         -    362 

General  remarks — Brief  history  of  this  ordinance — Of 
the  different  names  thereof — It  is  called  the  Lord's  Supper 
— The  communion — The  feast — The  eucharist — The  sa- 
crament. 

Chap.  III.  Of  the  nature,  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per          369 

God  has  been  pleased  to  reveal  himself  to  us  in  tico 
modes — By  doctrinal  instruction — By  symbolical  teaching 
— Specimens  of  these — The  natural  mistake  into  which  an 
undisciplined  mintfwould  fall  on  this  last  mode — namely, 
mistaking  the  symbol  for  the  thing,  or  ideas,  which  it  is 


CONTENTS.  13 


PAGE. 

intended  to  represent — This  error  actually  exists — Exami- 
nation of  this — Another  error  to  be  guarded  against — Su- 
perstitious formality — Three  errors  of  an  opposite  extreme 
to  be  carefully  avoided — First :  That  the  Table  of  the 
Lord  is  surrounded  by  the  awful  terrors  of  Mount  Sinai — 
A  deep  line  of  distinction  between  the  terrors  of  the  law, 
and  the  solemnities  of  the  gospel  ordinances — Thence  we 
draw  consolations,  and  comfort  to  feeble  Christians — Se- 
cond: That  there  is  safety  in  persisting  to  neglect  this 
most  holy  ordinance — The  excuse  usually  resorted  to,  ex- 
amined— Alarm  to  those  who  are  sleeping  under  this  easy 
and  fatal  belief — Distinction  between  those  who  plead  their 
non-preparation,  and  rest  contented  therein,  without  an  ef- 
fort, or  even  anxiety  to  be  prepared  ;  and  those  who  are 
bowed  down  under  a  sense  of  their  unworthiness,  and 
non-preparation,  but  are,  nevertheless,  struggling  to  get  rid 
of  every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  duty — Third  ;  The  error 
of  those  who  mistake  the  nature,  the  design,  and  mode  of 
evangelical  preparation. 

Chap.  IV. — The  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper 

— continued 377 

First : — It  is  a  monumental  commemoration  of  a  public  and 
most  impressive  nature — Recapitulation  of  the  things  com- 
memorated— View  of  the  ancient  monumental  commemo- 
rations— Passover — Heaps  of  stones  at  Jordan — The  sab- 
bath— Moral  and  religious  use  of  these — How  these  con- 
veyed the  truth  of  the  facts  commemorated  down  to  poste- 
rity, while  they  carried  the  evidence  of  demonstration  to 
men's  minds  and  removed  all  doubts — So,  in  the  case  of 
the  Lord's  Supper — The  Church,  as  a  body,  stands  before 
the  world  as  witnesses  for  God,  and  holds  up  this  grand 
and  impressive  monument  in  commemoration  and  proof 
against  all  the  world,  of  Christ's  mission,  incarnation,  obe- 
dience to  the  law,  death,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  per- 
fect atonement — Illustration  of  this,  and  the  bearing  of  this 
againt  the  infidel  world. 

Chap.  V. — The  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper 

— continued      - 387 

Second  :  It  is  a  spiritual  commemoration,  to  be  thankfully 
kept  up  by  all  true  Christians — The  events  and  things 
which  we  do  commemorate,  laid  down  in  seven  particu- 
lars— our  corresponding  duty  in  this  matter. 

Chap.  VL — The  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper 

— continued  -         -         -         -         -         -         -391 

Third :  it  is  a  feast  upon  a  sacrifice— View  of  the  ancient 
symbolical  sacrifices  in  the  old  church — It  required  a  va- 
riety of  types  and  sacrifices,  to  make  a  complete  exhibi- 

2 


14  CONTENTS. 


tion  of  Christ  by  symbolical  instruction — One  remarkable 
fact  prominently  kept  up  in  these  sacrifices — In  one  class 
of  them,  the  fire  had  its  irresistible,  and  fullest  sway — it 
consumed  the  victim  to  ashes. — In  another  class,  the  vic- 
tim was  roasted  in  the  fire,  but  not  consumed  to  ashes  : — 
it  was  prepared  to  be  meat  for  the  worshippers — And  they 
who  offered  up  the  sacrifice  sat  down,  not  at  the  altar, 
but  at  their  sacra^menlal  table,  and  feasted  on  the  sacrifice  ; 
and  every  one  who  partook  of  the  meat,  was  considered 
before  the  Lord,  as  having  actually  oifered  it  up  for  him- 
self— And  so  he  was  typically  pardoned  of  that  which 
was  laid  to  his  charge — And  if  he  did  eat  in  faiih,  of  this 
flesh,  the  type  of  Christ,  faithfully  relying  on  Messiah, 
about  to  come,  he  was  truly  pardoned  before  God. — This 
brought  to  illustrate  the  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per— It  is  a  true  feast  upon  the  true  sacrifice — The  pi- 
ous Jew  looked  to  the  same  Redeemer,  in  his  feast  upon 
the  passover,  to  whom  we  look — Their  faith  looked  for- 
ward to  the  coming  Messiah — We  look  back  to  him  on  the 
cross — The  meat  oi  their  feast  was  to  ^/jem  what  the  bread 
and  wine  of  our  feast  are  to  us — Proof— Illustration. 

Chap.  VII. — The  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper 

— continued 396 

Fourth:  This  festival  contains  an  extraordinary  exhibition  of 
Christ  through  symbols  divinely  set  apart  for  the  purpose — 
Feasts  on  a  sacrifice  were  eaten  in  celebrating  a  covenant  of 
unity  and  peace,  entered  into  by  the  offended  and  offending 
parties. — So  in  this  holy  festival,  do  we  commemorate  the 
everlasting  covenant  of  peace  entered  into  between  the  Fa- 
ther, and  the  Son — The  condition  of  this  covenant  on  the 
part  of  Christ  fulfilled — The  Father  fulfils  his  promises, 
and  bestows  his  blessings — Hence  the  parties  come  toge- 
ther at  the  table  of  the  festival,  to  celebrate  this  reconcilia- 
tion— God,  on  the  one  hand,  meets  us  who  are  viewed  as 
united  to  Christ,  and  are  one  body  with  him — This  coven- 
ant of  peace  confirmed  to  us  by  the'sacramental  use  of  sym- 
bols, bread  and  wine — Proof — Illustration — This  use  of  the 
ordinance  designed  to  enlarge  our  knowledge  of  Christ — 
and  confirm  our  faith  in  Christ,  and  our  confidence  in  our 
God. 

Chap.  VIII. — Various  other  uses  of  this  divine  or- 
dinance - 402 

First : — Hereby  do  we  keep  alive  an  affectionate  remem- 
brance of  what  Christ  is — and  what  he  has  done  for  us — 
His  Godhead  and  divine  person — He  is  Man — the  eternal 
Son  of  God — the  son  of  man — We  keep  up  the  remem- 
brance of  his  incarnation — his  deep  humiliation — obedience 
—  sufferings — agonies — death — resurrection — ascension — 
intercession  at  the  right  hand  of  God, — and  the  fact  of  his 


CONTENTS.  15 


PAGE. 

assurance  that  he  will  come  again — Second :  We  make 
herein,  a  public  and  most  solemn  confession  of  Christ — 
before  God,  Angels,  and  men — Third:  We  stand  for- 
ward in  the  face  of  all  foes  and  reproaches,  as  witnesses 
for  God  in  his  ways,  his  truths,  and  holy  cause  upon 
earth. 

Chap.  IX. — Farther  uses  of  the  Lord's  Supper         -    406 

There  is  a  mutual  conimunicalion  in  it,  and  by  it — View 
of  the  sacramental  action — The  minister,  in  Christ's  name, 
makes  over  to  us  the  assurances  of  the  promises,  and  bles- 
sings of  God,  while  he  puts  the  sacred  symbols  into  our 
hands — God  conveys  his  blessings  to  our  believing  minds 
in  this  sacramental  action — We  humbly  receive  these  in 
faith,  while  our  souls  flow  out  to  him,  and  v/e  make  an 
unreserved  surrender  of  ourselves  wholly  to  him — God  thus 
exhibits  the  pledge — we  accept  it. 

Chap.  X. — The  nature  and  use  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per— continued        -         -         -         -         -         -410 

It  is  A  SEAL  of  the  covenant  of  grace — The  use  of  the  seal 
in  covenants  of  old — How  the  covenant  of  grace  is  sealed 
— importance  of  the  proof  of  this — It  indicates  that  the 
condition  required  of  our  surety,  has  been  fully  complied 
with — This  seal  appended  to  the  New  Testament,  is  the 
confirming  token  to  our  faith,  that  Christ  has  fully  met  all 
the  claims  against  us,  and  secured  all  the  promised  bless- 
ings to  us — In  the  sacramental  action,  as  we  take  the 
holy  symbols,  we  do  put  our  hand  to  the  seal,  and  hold  it 
up,  in  a  formal  public  confession  of  Christ's  atonement, 
as  our  sure  and  infallible  hope — And  by  God's  grace,  we 
feel  the  assured  faith  of  this,  sealed  and  confirmed  on  our, 
hearts,  in  a  renewed  joyful  experience — For  this  is  the 
will  of  God — It  is  designed  by  him  to  be  a  seal  of  con- 
firmation to  us  ;  and  it  is  actually  so  to  every  true  Chris- 
tian. 

Chap.  XI. — Another  important  use  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per        -------- 

Hereby  "  do  we  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ" — How 
this  is  done — We  show  it  forth  to  our  God  upon  his 
throne — We  show  it  forth  before  Satan  and  his  angels — be- 
fore the  world,  in  the  face  of  all  its  opposition  and  reproach- 
es— We  show  it  forth  to  our  own  consciences,  when  stung 


414 


by  reproaches,  and  remorse — We  hold  it  forth  before  our 
own  souls  in  the  overwhelming  troubles  of  life — and  at  the 
spirit-trying  hour  of  the  approach  of  the  last  enemy. 

Chap.  XII. — The  design,  and  end  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per— continued.       -         -         -         -         --41 9 

In  this  ordinance,  God  formally  owns  us  as  his  people  in 


16  CONTENTS. 


the  everlasting  covenant,  ratified  by  the  blood  of  Christ — 
We  own  him  publicly;  and  with  grateful  hearts  we  accept 
the  tokens  of  his  love,  and  mercy — AVe  ratify  the  covenant 
transactions  between  him  and  our  snuls — Specimen  of  the 
devotional  exercises  of  the  humble  and  affectionate  believer 
on  this  occasion. 


PAGE. 


PART  II. 

DEVOTIONAL  INSTRUCTION,  TO  GUIDE  THE  YOUNG 
COMMUNICANT    TO  THE  LORD'S  TABLE. 

Chap.  I. — A  general  view  of  the  obligations  bind- 
ing us  to  attend  to  the  solemn  duty  of  showing 
forth  the  death  of  Christ,  in  this  ordinance  -    421 

1.  The  command  of  our  Lord  is  plain,  express,  and 
peremptory — It  cannot  be  misunderstood. — 2.  It  cannot 
be  set  aside — 3.  Some  satisfy  themselves  with  unrea- 
sonable excuses  in  this  matter — Specimen  of  these — Cau- 
tion against  two  opposite  extremes  : — First,  that  want  of 
grace  and  due  preparedness  is  an  ample  excuse  for  the  neg- 
lect of  this  divine  ordinance — Examination  of  this  general 
and  plausible  excuse — 4.  This  is  equalled  only  by  the  Se- 
cond error, — namely,  that  every  command  of  God  laid  on 
us,  as  we  are,  implies  that  we  have  actually  full  power  to 
perform  aright  the  duty  required — View  of  the  true  state  of 
matters  on  this  point. — 5.  God's  command  to  duty  always 
includes  in  it  a  peremptory  call  to  instant  obedience — Ivi- 
mediate  compliance  is  included  in  the  very  essence  of  the 
duty — Some  entertain  irrational  views  on  this  matter,  if 
not  atheistical — This  doctrine  o^  instant  obedience  implies, 
however,  a  previous  duty  to  be  forthwith  performed — you 
must  go,  this  instant,  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  through  the 
Holy  Ghost  you  may  obtain  the  necessary  preparation — 
6.  Then  seize  the  earliest  opportunity  of  obeying  your 
Lord,  in  meeting  him  at  his  Table — Reason — remon- 
strance. 

Chap.  II. - — An  earnest  appeal  to  those  who  have  been 
received  to  the  communion  of  the  church,  but  have 
declined  from  the  path  of  duty  «         _         _    427 

1.  Attempt  to  awaken  their  consciences — 2,  Review  of 
their  different  excuses,  whereby  they  strive  to  keep  their 
consciences  asleep — Do  you  venture  to  entertain  any 
doubts  of  the  obligations  binding  your  soul  to  this  ob- 
servance ?  3,  Reply — Remedy  proposed — Your  past  vows, 


CONTENTS.  17 


PAGE. 


have  they  no  binding  obligation  on  you? — 4.  Reply  to  those 
who  indulge  such  delusive  dreams  of  security — Remedy 
proposed  for  this  evil — 5.  Have  you  doubts  as  to  the  duty 
of  frequent  communion  —  This  no  excuse  for  the  total 
neglect  of  the  ordinance — Reply  to  this — Appeal  to  the 
heart  on  behalf  of  Christ's  love,  which  we  are  constrained 
frequently  to  celebrate. — 6.  Has  your  declension  in  duty 
arisen,  and  been  cherished  into  total  neglect,  by  sloth  and 
aversion  to  the  labour  and  heart-searching  duty  of  self-ex- 
amineitionl — Reply — Remedy  suggested — 7.  Has  your 
deplorable  guiltiness  arisen  from  lukewarmness,  and  avei'- 
sion  to  the  binding  of  yourself  so  strictly  to  duty,  and 
against  all  sin  1  Review — Reply — Remedy — 8.  Has  this 
negligence  arisen  from  some  family  difficulty,  or  a  quarrel 
with  some  brother,  or  sister  in  the  church  ? — Review  of 
this — ^Reply — Remedy — 9.  Has  your  total  neglect  of  this 
solemn  duty  been  originated  by  the  resistance  of  your 
guilty  and  accusing  conscience? — Reply — Appeal  to  the 
terrors  of  the  law,  and  your  guilty  soul — Remedy  propos- 
ed— 10.  Perhaps  thy  delinquency  is  caused  by  a  final  and 
fatal  apostacy — Perhaps  thou  hast  been  a  Judas  in  Christ's 
family — Review  of  the  causes  which  produced  this  horrible 
result — Remonstrance — entreaty — appeal. 

Chap.  III. — Invitation  to  those  who  have  not   yet 

been  to  the  Holy  Communion  -         _         .    434 

1.  Address  to  the  children  of  the  Church — 2.  Christ's  ear- 
nest and  loving  call — Devotional  frame  of  a  young  person 
hesitating  between  fears,  and  hopes,  and  wishes,  in  view  of 
the  holy  communion  ;  and  is  about  to  come  forward — A 
meditation,  and  prayer,  suitable  to  this  case — 3.  A  farther 
appeal  to  the  tender-hearted — Remonstrance,  and  invita- 
tion— 4.  A  caution  and  direction  against  incorrect  views 
of  this  ordinance — 5.  Explanation  of  the  words,  "Eat  and 
drink  damnation" — 6.  Satan  and  the  world  attempt  to  ter- 
rify youth,  and  drive  them  from  duty — The  necessity  of 
resisting  such  temptations — The  pleasures  of  communion 
with  God — 7.  The  urgency  of  Christ's  constraining  love — 
8.  The  sin  and  danger  of  delay  in  this  duty— 9.  The  so- 
lemn obligations  of  your  baptismal  vows — Sometrifle  with 
these,  because  their  parents  assumed  them  without  their 
consent — Reply  to  this  plausible,  but  heaven-daring  objec- 
tion— 10.  A  meditation  and  prayer  suited  to  a  young  mind 
distressed  and  agitated,  in  view  of  these  obligations,  and 
this  duty. 

Chap.  IV. — Invitation  to   God's  distressed  children, 

who  are  in  darkness,  and  halting  in  duty    -         -    443 

1.  "You  are  deterred,"  yoii  say,  "from  coming  to  the 
Lord's  Table,  through  the  terror  of  the  penalty  of  unwor- 


18  CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

thy  communicating " — Instruction  and  counsel  on  this 
point — 2.  We  must  not  allow  ourselves  to  mistake  the  act 
and  grace  of  faith,  for  the  assurance  of  sense — We  must 
not  make  the  possession  of  sensible  assurance,  a  condition 
of  our  complying  withGod's  command — A  mistake  on  this 
point  induces  some  misguided  professors  to  refrain  from 
present  duty,  until  they  reach  the  evidence  and  assurance 
of  sense, — or,  until  faith  triumphs  in  their  experience,  over 
all  doubts — 3.  Examination  of  this  too  common  delusion — 
Remonstrance  against  this  practice  of  regulating  the  dis- 
charge of  duty  by  our  present  feelings — 4.  Case  of  those 
who  repose  their  hopes  on  certain  inward  frames — They 
happen  to  lose  their  once  happy  frame  of  mind,  and 
thence  neglect  their  present  duty — Remonstrance  against 
this  criminal  practice  of  determining  obligations  to  duty, 
by  our  inward  frames — Recover  your  holy  frame  of  mind 
by  immediate  recourse  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  disperse 
darkness  by  going  in  humble  penitence,  to  the  Holy  Table; 
and  seek  your  once  holy  frame  there  :  and  not  by  flying, 
like  Jonah,  from  the  divine  presence — 5.  Case  of  the  weak 
and  trembling  professor,  whose  troubled  soul  surrounds  the 
Table  of  the  Lord  with  all  the  fearful  terrors  of  Mount  Si- 
nai— 6.  Remonstrance,  and  appeal  on  behalf  of  our  Lord 
and  his  blessed  ordinance  of  love — Instruction  on  the  mode 
of  self-examination  to  be  pursued  by  such  a  distressed  disci- 
ples— Gluestions  to  be  put  by  them  to  their  conscience — 
7.  Directions  and  encouragements  given,  by  distinguishing 
between  weak,  yet  real  faith,  and  strong  faith — We  must 
be  jealous  over  ourselves;  but  we  must  recognize,  and  be 
thankful  for,  the  day  of  small  things — 8.  The  usual  ob- 
jections which  such  weak  Christians  bring  against  their 
attendance  on  present  duty  shown  to  be  irrational — 9.  The 
case  of  the  disconsolate,  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  ot  their 
un worthiness  —  Distinction  between  the  unworthiness  of 
those  who  "  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  themselves,"  and 
that  of  those  who  "  eat  and  drink  judgments"  of  correc- 
tion from  their  heavenly  Father — 10.  Instruction,  and  ex- 
hortation to  such,  to  come  forward  in  huml>le,  but  sincere 
reliance  on  Christ,  and  to  seek  riddance  of  their  weakness, 
and  doubts,  and  fears,  by  a  hearty  meal  at  the  Table  of 
the  Lord — 11.  Duty  of  their  immediate  compliance  ur^ed 
again,  on  them — No  objection  can  be  urged  against  this  m- 
mediate  compliance  with  the  call  to  present  yourselves  at 
the  Table  of  the  Lord,  which  may  not  be  urged  with  as 
much  propriety  against  compliance  with  the  whole  circle 
of  the  divine  commandments — 12,  Self-examination  urged. 

Chap.  V. — Directions  to  communicants,  about  to  ap- 
proach the  Holy  Table 464 

1.  This  duty  not  rashly  to  be  engaged  in — We  make  our 
approach  to  it  after  perseverance  in  the  important  duties 
of  self-examination,  meditation,  and  prayer — 2.  Specimens 


CONTENTS.  19 


PAGE. 

of  the  forms  of  meditation,  self-examination,  and  prayer, 
conducted,  at  once,  by  a  young  Christian,  who  has  prostrat- 
ed himself  at  the  foot  of  the  throne  of  grace. 

Chap.  YI. — Directions  for  our  exercise,  while  at  the 

Lord's  Table 463 

Specimens  of  the  form  of  meditation,  and  devotion,  dur- 
ing that  deeply  solemn  hour. 

Chap.  VII. — Directions  to  regulate  the  exercise   of 

the  young  Christian  during  the  sacramental  action    468 

1.  The  sacramental  action  of  the  minister  invoking  the 
divine  blessing — Breaking  the  bread,  and  delivering  it  with 
the  appropriate  words — the  action  of  the  pious  communicant 
corresponding  thereto — 2.  The  pastor's  sacramental  action 
in  lifting,  and  giving  the  wine — The  pious  communicant's 
action,  and  exercise  thereto  corresponding — 3.  Specimen 
of  the  form  of  meditation,  and  prayer,  suitable  to  this  so- 
lemnity— And  a  meditation  and  prayer  to  occupy  the  mind, 
while  the  sacred  symbols  are  being  passed  round  to  the 
other  communicants — 4.  Pleading  lor  those  who  are  dear 
to  us. 

Chap.  VIII. — Directions  to  regulate  the  pious  exer- 
cise of  the  young  communicant  as  he  retires  from 
the  holy  Table.        - 471 

Specimen  of  the  form  of  a  divine  meditation,  and  prayer, 
suitable  to  that  moment. 

Chap.  IX. — On  the  self-examination  to  be  pursued 
by  the  communicant,  after  he  has  left  the  house 
of  God,  and  retired  to  his  closet       _         .         -    474 

Specimen  of  this  exercise  given  in  ten  questions  to  be 
put  to  their  conscience  before  God,  and  to  be  answered  with 
scrupulous  honesty  and  care. 

Chap.  X. — Of  the  duties  required  of  the  devout  com- 

municant  in  future  life     .         -         -         -         .    477 

We  take  leave  of  the  young  communicant  in  the  words 
of  Moses — Directions  given  in  six  particulars,  to  regulate 
his  future  life. 


INTRODUCTION. 


I  HAVE  long  felt  the  want  of  a  manual  on  the  Lord's 
Supper  adapted  to  the  habits  and  circumstances  of  our 
times.  We  have,  it  is  true,  a  goodly  number  of  works  on 
the  subject.  Besides  the  able  treatises  given  in  the  different 
systems  of  theology, — among  which  that  of  President 
D wight  deserves  to  be  ranked  among  the  best, — we  have 
the  works  of  Mathew  Henry,  of  Willison,  of  Bickersteth,  of 
Hobart ;  and  the  Sacramental  Selections  by  Dr.  Wilson, 
late  of  Philadelphia.  These  have,  each,  their  appropriate 
excellence.  The  first  tivo,  in  particular,  are  valuable. 
They  possess  a  richness  of  thought,  a  deep  insight  into 
divine  things,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  complicated  exercises 
of  the  gracious  heart ;  and  withal,  an  unction  of  piety  and 
devotion  pervading  the  whole, — rarely  met  with  in  later 
times. 

But,  there  is  a  call  for  more  works  on  this  subject.  For, 
on  the  one  hand,  there  are  some  points  which  are  too  slight- 
ly passed  over  by  some  of  these  writers,  while  they  are 
scarcely  touched  at  all,  by  the  rest.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  are  other  topics  on  which  they  dwell,  and  dilate  to 
such  a  measure  of  excess,  that  they  become  tedious,  dull, 
and  fatiguing.  We  need  something  devotional,  brief,  yet 
full ;  and  adapted,  in  particular,  to  the  different  classes  of 
young  Christians. 

3 


22  ITs^TRODUCTION. 

In  the  Lord's  Supper  there  are  certain  great  facts,  and 
doctrines,  held  up  to  our  view,  by  its  sacred  symbols,  which 
are  to  be  devoutly  commemorated  by  us.  Of  these,  it  is 
necessary  that  we  should  possess  clear  spiritual  perceptions, 
in  order  to  our  worthy  communicating.  We  must  be  the 
children  of  the  light,  in  order  to  walk  in  the  light.  By 
this  means,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  will  the  distressing 
gloom  of  darkness,  and  slavish  fear  be  expelled  from  the 
troubled  soul.  Then  is  it  made  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  the  dwelling-place  of  love,  peace,  and  heaven- 
ly joy.  And  then  will  our  communion  seasons  be  our  most 
delightful  seasons. 

And  this  saving  knowledge  whereby  we  discern  the 
Lord's  Body,  never  exists  alone  ;  nor  must  we  be  contented 
with  it  alone.  We  must  have  a  lively  faith.  We  must  re- 
ceive Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  as  our  Saviour.  W^e  must 
accept,  and  bring  home  to  our  hearts,  all  the  blessings  and 
benefits  of  his  atonement,  which  are  impressively  held  forth 
in  this  ordinance.  Nor  is  this  all :  we  must  add  to  our 
knowledge  and  our  faith,  love  unfeigned.  We  must  open 
our  hearts  to  the  wonderful  love  of  our  Father  in  heaven  ; 
and  to  the  overpowering  tenderness  of  our  Blessed  Redeem- 
er's mercy  and  grace  ;  and  to  the  ravishing  communion,  and 
soul-refreshing  joys  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  a  service 
reasonable  and  just.  We  must  love  him  with  an  ardent 
love,  who  first  loved  us.  W^e  must  bring  to  the  Table  of 
the  Lord,  hearts  possessed  and  filled  with  this  divine  affec- 
tion. We  must  present  our  living  sacrifices,  holy  and  ac- 
ceptable unto  God ;  and  with  the  pure  fire  kindled  from 
heaven.  And  as  the  fire  burns  within  us,  must  we  give 
utterance  with  the  tongue ;  and  pour  out  our  hearts  before 
his  throne,  at  the  communion  table. 

It  will  thence  be  manifest  that,  in  order  to  pure  and  ac- 
ceptable communion,  we  must  have  knowledge  to  discern 
what  is  meant  by  the    body  and  blood  of  the  Lord :    we 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

must  have  a  true  and  lively  faith  in  order  to  participate  of 
the  feast  upon  the  sacrifice  of  Christ ;  an  ardent  love,  kin- 
dled by  the  love  of  our  covenant  God  ;  and  pure  devotion, 
in  which  our  souls  are  melted  down,  and  poured  out  before 
the  Lord,  in  the  well-sustained  exercise  of  the  graces  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

It  will,  moreover,  be  manifest  that  the  saving  knowledge 
of  God's  precious  truths,  especially  of  those  which  are  so 
very  prominently  held  forth  in  this  divine  ordinance,  does 
form  the  basis  of  all  those  other  graces,  so  necessary  to  our 
worthy  communicating.  Hence  the  testimony  of  Scrip- 
ture ; — "  They  that  know  thy  name,  will  put  their  trust  in 
thee." — Psalm  ix.  10.  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might 
know  thee,  &c." — John  xvii.  3.  For,  just  in  proportion 
as  we  are  taught  of  God,  and  grow  in  this  saving  know- 
ledge, shall  we  feel  ourselves  reigning  with  him  by  faith ; 
and  abounding  with  him  in  the  peace  of  God  ;  and  rejoicing 
with  him  in  the  hope  of  his  glory ;  and  triumphing  with 
him  in  love,  and  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  just  in  proportion  as  these  graces  ripen  into  the  matu- 
rity of  the  life  of  God  in  our  souls,  shall  we  be  found  stead- 
fastly resisting  the  enemies  which  impede  us  in  our  Chris- 
tian duties  ;  and  maintaining  our  conversation  in  the  world, 
in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with  fleshly  wisdom, 
but  by  the  grace  of  God  ;  and  following  the  Lord  with  well- 
pleasing,  in  the  habits  and  exercises  of  new  obedience. 
Hence  it  is  very  necessary  that  the  young  Christian  be 
carefully  instructed  in  these  great  and  prominent  doctrines 
held  up  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  order  that  his  mind  may  be 
occupied  with  the  saving  knowledge  of  them. 

And,  in  order  the  more  effectually  to  attain  this  object, 
we  need  a  manual  on  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  shall  pre- 
sent these  all-important  doctrines,  not  only  in  a  systematic 
form,  but  also  apart,  and  by  themselves  ;  so  that  the  young 
inexperienced  mind  may  not  be  distracted  by  the  contem- 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

plation  of  them,  mixed  up,  and  confounded  as  they  usually 
have  been,  with  the  discussions  on  the  Lord's  Supper,  its 
nature,  and  uses.  With  this  view,  therefore,  I  have  thrown 
together  this  form  of  instruction  on  these  principal  doc- 
trines, that  they  may  be  studied  by  themselves.  This  I 
have  done  in  Book  I. 

And  as  the  mode  of  teaching,  by  placing  before  the  mind 
of  the  pupil,  a  series  of  questions  on  what  he  has  read,  has 
been  attended  with  the  happiest  success  in  all  branches  of 
study,  I  have  appended  to  each  discussion  a  brief  series  of 
questions,  the  answers  to  which  the  learner  is  to  search  out 
by  reviewing  what  he  has  studied.  In  doing  this,  he  will 
soon  acquire  a  distinct  view  of  each  branch  of  doctrine. 

It  has  also  occurred  to  me,  that  evangelical  instruction 
makes  its  divine  and  most  effectual  impression  on  the  heart, 
when  man,  by  a  well-timed  application,  feels  that  he  is  sin- 
gled out  by  the  sword  of  the  Spirit ;  and  when  his  soul  and 
conscience  are  laid  bare  ;  and  when  the  stroke  is  made  to 
fall,  as  it  were,  on  the  naked  nerve ;  and  when  it  pierces  to 
the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints 
and  marrow  ;  and  when  it  becomes,  before  the  man's  awa- 
kened eye,  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart.  In  attaining  this  application,  I  have  subjoined  forms 
of  meditations  on  each  doctrine  discussed,  together  with 
forms  of  prayer  :  all  of  which  the  young  Christian  should 
aim  at  repeating  from  his  heart,  and  conscience,  with  great 
reverence  before  the  Searcher  of  hearts. 

The  young  Christian  having  been  thus  instructed  in  the 
facts,  and  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  which  are  impressively 
held  up  in  the  Holy  Supper,  he  will  be  prepared  to  enter 
with  us,  on  the  consideration  of  its  nature,  uses,  and  etids ; 
and,  lastly,  on  the  solemn  duties  required  of  him,  in  this 
holy  service.  To  aid  him  in  this  investigation,  is  our  de- 
sign in  Book  II. 

And  now,  oh  !  heavenly  Father,  from  whom  cometh  down 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift,  grant  us,  I  beseech 
thee,  the  Unction  of  the  Holy  One,  and  we  shall  know  all 
things  !  And  do  thou.  Blessed  Son  of  God,  who  hast,  as  the 
fruits  of  thy  atonement  and  intercession,  sent  down  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  thy  people,  send  him  in  his  light,  and  life, 
into  this  soul !  And  oh !  thou  most  Holy  Spirit,  who 
inspirest  into  thy  servants  all  good  purposes,  and  holy  re- 
solutions,— thou  Comforter  and  Guide, — oh !  come  and 
glorify  Jesus  Christ,  by  taking  the  things  which  are  his, 
and  revealing  them  to  us  ! 

And  oh  !  guide  me,  great  source  of  wisdom  and  compas- 
sioD,  in  these  efforts  to  minister  to  thy  children ;  especially 
the  young  and  feeble  ones  of  thy  family.  While  I  attempt 
to  place  myself  in  their  stead,  to  conceive  their  difficulties, 
and  their  wants,  and  desires,  in  their  approach  to  the  Lord's 
Supper, — Oh  !  Lord,  shed  thy  light  into  my  mind,  that  out 
of  thy  Holy  Scriptures  I  may  discern,  and  draw  forth  a 
word,  in  season,  to  their  souls.  To  every  mind  to  whom 
this  message  may  come,  let  thy  word,  O  Lord,  be  made 
living  and  powerful.  May  thy  good  Spirit  be  given  to  the 
person  who  is  now  reading  these  pages.  Vouchsafe  to  him, 
0  Lord,  true  faith,  a  firm  hope,  and  ardent  love  to  thee. 
May  he,  by  holy  perseverance  in  new  obedience,  work  out 
the  evidence  of  his  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
may  he  delight  himself  in  thy  ordinances,  as  fountains  of 
the  water  of  life,  ever  pure,  and  delicious,  and  refreshing  to 
his  soul. 

And  if  I  may  venture,  like  Abraham,  to  plead  with  thee, 
my  gracious  Master,  let  this  book  live,  and  be  spread  abroad 
to  be  the  means,  through  thy  divine  grace,  of  guarding  and 
directing  thy  poor  tempted  and  distracted  children  to  thy 
Holy  Table  :  and  in  comforting  them  in  their  Christian 
pilgrimage, — long  after  I  shall  be  in  the  congregation  of 
the  dead !  And  whatever  pleasure  and  power  to  edification 
thy  grace  may  vouchsafe  to  my  own  soul  while  writing  it, 
3* 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

and  to  thy  dear  children  while  reading  it, — we  %vill  grate- 
fully place  the  crown  of  glory,  thereof,  on  thy  head,  0 
Lord,  on  whose  head  are  many  crowns  !  And  in  the 
bright  day  of  universal  convocation,  when  the  members 
of  God's  ransomed  family  shall  be  all  at  home  in  glory,  we 
shall  mingle  mutual  gratulations  in  our  unceasing  song  of 
adoration.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,  that  icas  slain,  to  receive 
power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  blessing  !  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory, 
and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  siiteih  upon  the  throne,  and  to 
the  Lamb,  for  ever,  and  ever,  Jlmen» 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    END    AND    AIM    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN'S    LIFE. 

"  Attempt  how  monstrous,  and  how  surely  vain  ! 
With  things  of  earthly  sort,  with  aught  but  God, 
To  satisfy,  and  fill  the  immortal  soul ! 
Attempt,  vain  inconceivably  !  attempt 
To  satisfy  the  ocean  with  a  drop  ; 
To  marry  immortality  to  death ; 
And  with  the  unsubstantial  shade  of  time, 
To  fill  the  embrace  of  ail  eternity!" 

POLLOK. 

The  Almighty  Creator  is  the  sole  proprietor  of  all  beings 
and  things.  For  his  glory  we  are,  and  were  created. 
Hence  we  are  not  our  own.  We  belong  to  Almighty  God. 
As  creatures,  we  are  under  the  strongest  obligations  to  own 
him,  and  glorify  him  as  our  Creator.  As  his  creatures  sus- 
tained by  him,  we  can  never  be  set  free  from  divine  obli- 
gations to  own  him  every  hour,  and  honour  him  as  our 
Preserver.  As  rational  and  accountable  creatures,  nothing 
can  excuse  us  from  the  duty  of  keeping  our  eye  continually 
on  his  throne,  to  adore  him  who  will,  before  long,  be  our 
impartial  Judge.  As  ransomed  creatures,  purchased  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  we  are  under  eternal  obligations  to  love, 
adore,  and  serve  him  faithfully. 

The  end  of  our  being,  therefore,  is  to  glorify  God,  and 
enjoy  him  for  ever.     And  not  only  should  a  sense  of  these 


28  THE    END    AND    AIM    OF 

relations  in  which  we  stand  toward  Him,  but  also  a  con- 
sciousness of  His  most  compassionate  interference  in  our 
behalf,  constrain  us  to  glorify  him.  Can  we  ever  cease  to 
feel  the  amazing  love  of  God,  in  so  constituting  his 
government  over  us,  that,  notwithstanding  all  the  treasons 
and  crimes  committed  by  us  against  him,  he  has  combined 
our  immortal  happiness  with  his  divine  glory  !  And  in 
proportion  as  we  evince  the  sincerity  of  our  love  to  him,  by 
reaching  forward  in  the  growth  of  holiness,  and  the  attain- 
ment of  higher  capacities  to  glorify  him,  do  we  enjoy 
higher  and  higher  degrees  of  happiness.  And  having, 
at  length,  reached  "  the  perfect  manhood,  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ ;"  we  shall  enter  on  the 
fulness  of  joys,  and  everlasting  glory  in  heaven. 

It  must,  then,  be  very  manifest,  that  if  we  forsake  God, 
we  forsake  our  own  mercies  :  and  if  we  hate  his  ways,  we 
love  death.  If  we  seek  happiness  in  any  form,  or  way 
foreign  to  God's  glory,  we  come  short  of  the  grand  end  of 
our  being.  If  we  prefer  our  own  joys  to  His  honour,  we 
are  guilty  of  denying  Him.  To  prefer  human  pleasures  to 
his  glory,  is  inexcusable  selfishness.  To  set  up  our  own 
judgment  in  opposition  to  his  revealed  will,  is  folly  and 
madness.  To  introduce  human  inventions  into  his  service, 
is  fatal  superstition.  To  yield  the  devotion  of  our  heart  and 
life  to  any  created  thing,  is  gross  idolatry.  To  prefer  our  own 
will  to  his  supreme  will,  is  heaven-daring  rebellion.  To  yield 
obedience  to  the  god  of  this  world,  and  linger  among  the 
fascinating  pleasures  of  earth,  instead  of  urging  on  in  our 
course  to  heaven,  is  nothing  short  of  atheism  ! 

Man,  viewed  as  a  mortal  being,  has  a  temporal  career  set 
before  him,  which  he  must  run.  But  there  is  an  infinitely 
higher  destiny  awaiting  him.  As  an  immortal  being,  he 
has  an  eternal  career  before  him.  In  this  world,  he  pursues 
the  former,  as  a  good  citizen,  and  a  good  man.  In  the 
future  and  eternal  world,  he  has  the  never-closing  career  to 


THE    christian's    LIFE.  29 

pursue  in  the  presence  of  God  and  the  Lamb ;  and  in  the 
high  and  lofty  fellowship  of  the  angels,  and  all  the  host  of 
heaven. 

By  an  appropriate  education,  are  we  prepared  for  our  tem- 
poral career.  In  our  seminaries  is  this  necessary  prepa- 
ration consummated,  and  from  these,  are  our  youth  sent 
forth  with  cultivated  and  virtuous  minds,  to  enter  on  the 
enterprises  of  life. 

In  like  manner,  God  has  graciously  provided  us  with  the 
means  of  a  spiritual  training  for  our  high  and  eternal  des- 
tinies. This  training  we  enjoy  in  the  bosom  of  his 
Church,  on  our  sabbaths,  and  in  private,  by  the  ministry, 
ordained  for  this  purpose,  and  under  divine  ordinances,  and 
the  special  grace  of  God. 

Hence,  vital  godliness  and  pure  religion,  the  rich  gifts 
of  God,  cherished  in  the  heart,  professed  and  practised  by 
usj  under  the  discipline  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  bear  precisely 
the  same  relation  to  our  immortal  career,  and  our  eternal 
enjoyments  in  heaven,  which  a  good  education  and  proper 
mental  discipline  do  to  a  good  citizen's  best  interests,  and 
usefulness  in  this  world. 

But  surely  a  man's  condition  and  destinies  in  this  tran^ 
sitory  world,  can  never  bear  to  be  even  named  in  compa- 
rison with  his  eternal  destiny,  and  glory  in  heaven.  Hence 
the  possession  and  practice  of  pure  religion  are  as  infinitely 
superior  to  the  most  perfect  education  which  human  inge- 
nuity can  convey  to  the  mind,  as  heaven  and  eternity  are  to 
earth  and  time  ! 

The  man  who,  through  ignorance  and  rudeness,  ventures 
to  oppose  popular  education,  and  the  progress  of  science,  is 
unceremoniously  pronounced  a  Goth  and  a  barbarian  ;  and 
he  is  shunned  as  an  enemy  to  man's  happiness,  and  the  glory 
of  his  country.  But,  by  what  terms  shall  the  wise  and  the 
good  designate  the  man  who  puts  himself  in  opposition  to 
the  purest  and  most  elevating  of  ajl  education  ;  and  that 


30  *  THE    END    AND    AIM    OF 

sublime  and  holy  mental  training  which  prepares  immortal 
beings  for  the  assembly  of  the  saints,  and  the  presence  of 
God,  for  evermore  ? 

But  the  world  cannot  appreciate  this.  Hence,  it  is  the 
enemy  of  our  Divine  Master,  and  of  our  best  interests. 
This  hostility,  however,  shall  not  drive  us  from  our  duty  to 
him.  Nay,  it  should  quicken  our  ardour  in  studying  his 
word  ;  and  constrain  us  to  a  more  scrupulous  attention  to 
every  christian  duty.  The  opinions  of  the  men  of  the  world 
weigh  lighter  than  chaff,  with  all  who  are  accustomed  to 
appeal  "to  the  law,  and  the  testimony."  Our  God  has 
spoken  the  w^ord.  To  him  do  we  devoutly  listen.  "  Whe- 
ther ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God."  1  Cor.  X.  31.  "  This  is  life  eternal  that  they  might 
know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou 
hast  sent."  John  xvii.  3.  "  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou 
choosest,  and  causest  to  approach  to  thee,  that  he  may  dwell 
in  thy  courts.  We  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  goodness  of 
thy  house,  even  of  thy  holy  temple."  Ps.  Ixv.  4.  "  No  one 
of  us  liveth  unto  himself,  and  no  one  dieth  to  himself. 
"WTiether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  or  whether  we 
die,  we  cTie  unto  the  Lord :  whether  we  live,  therefore,  or 
die,  we  are  the  Lord's."  Rom.  xiv.  7,  8.  "  Thou  wilt 
show  me  the  path  of  life  :  in  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy  ; 
at  thy  right  hand  there  are  })leasures  for  evermore."  Ps. 
xvi.  n.  "And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto 
me,  write.  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord  from 
henceforth  :  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labours  ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them."  Rev. 
xiv.  13. 

aUESTIONS. 

Can  any  one  allege  that  he  is  his  own  ?  Why  not  1  To 
whom  do  we  belong  ?  By  what  ties  are  we  bound  to  God  ? 
How  prove  you  this,  out  of  God's  word?     W^hat  is  the  chief 


THE    christian's    LIFE.  31 

end  of  our  being,  and  preservation  1  How  prove  you  this  1 
What  do  Scripture  and  reason  say?  Wherein  then  lies 
man's  chief  and  eternal  happiness"?  What  is  the  belief  of 
men  of  the  world  on  this?  How  do  you  refute  them  ?  By 
reason  ?  By  Scripture  ?  What  says  each  of  these  ?  What 
is  the  relative  value  of  education,  for  the  world  ;  and  religion, 
for  eternity  ?  Confirm  this  by  texts  out  of  the  Scriptures. 
Do  you  faithfully  and  sincerely  keep  in  view  this  great  end 
of  your  being  ? 

MEDITATION. 

Hast  thou,  0  my  soul,  said  unto  the  Lord,  thou  art  my 
God  ?  Am  I  truly  sensible  that  I  am  not  my  own,  but  that 
I  belong  to  my  most  faithful  Creator?  This  body,  and 
all  these  limbs  he  formed  out  of  the  dust :  and  he  gave 
them  to  me  by  an  act  of  power  and  sovereignty.  Thee,  my 
soul,  v>^ith  its  wonderful  faculties,  did  he  create  immediately 
out  of  nothing.  This  being  of  mine,  so  wonderful  and  so 
delightful,  I  enjoy  from  God's  bounteous  goodness.  I 
am  no  less  indebted  to  him  for  this  prolonged  existence. 
This  body,  and  this  soul  he  sustains  in  being  ;  and  in 
bodily,  and  mental,  and  moral  activity.  I  have  no  con- 
troul  over  time,  or  my  being.  God  measures  out  to  me, 
each  moment,  my  existence.  Over  this  life  and  these  limbs, 
and  mental  faculties,  I  possess  no  sovereignty.  Did  I  arro- 
gate the  proud  claim  of  dominion,  and  self-controul,  one 
word  from  him,  one  touch  of  his  hand,  would  lay  my  body 
in  dust,  and  summon  my  soul  to  the  dread  bar  of  justice ! 
In  him  I  live,  in  him  I  move,  in  him  I  have  my  being. 

Should  I  then  devote  my  soul,  and  its  faculties,  or  this 
body  and  its  members,  to  the  service  of  sin  and  the  world,  I 
should  be  guilty  of  robbery.  And  whom  should  I  rob  ?  No 
less  than  my  Creator,  my  Preserver,  my  Redeemer,  and  my 
Judge  !  Oh  !  my  God  !  deliver  me  from  this  heinous  crime. 
May  the  time  past  suffice  to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the  flesh 


32  THE    END    AND    AIM    OF 

Henceforth  to  thee,  0  my  God,  let  me  be  truly  devoted  in 
heart  and  in  life.  And  oh !  delightful  thought,  while  to 
innumerable  beings,  thou  hast  given  existence  in  the 
seas,  in  the  air,  and  on  the  earth,  which  thou  revokest  for 
ever,  and  they  cease  to  be  :  to  me  hast  thou  given  an  ever- 
enduring  existence.  The  time  shall  never  come  up  in  the 
ever-revolving  ages  of  eternity,  when  I  shall  cease  to  be.  I 
shall  bloom  in  immortal  youth,  in  this  soul  and  this  body, 
as  long  as  God's  eternal  throne  shall  exist !  What  a  motive 
to  rouse  up  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  in  me,  to  devote  my 
being  to  my  God  here  ;  that  I  may  serve  and  enjoy  him  in 
eternity  !  Can  I  for  a  moment  think  of  burying  such  a 
being  in  the  beggarly  elements  of  this  transitory  world? 
No,  never.  May  I,  then,  never  cease  to  press  eagerly  for- 
ward to  the  great  end  of  my  being  ! 

prayer: 

O  Lord,  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure 
they  are,  and  were  created.  My  Creator,  and  my  faithful 
Preserver,  by  thy  power  I  awoke  into  being.  And  here  I 
am,  the  monument  of  thy  ever- watchful  care,  0  holy  God  of 
Providence.  I  trust  I  feel  I  am  thine.  To  thee  this  heart 
overflows  in  love.  To  thee,  0  my  God,  would  I  humbly 
devote  my  being.  "What  can  be  more  reasonable,  O  Lord? 
Love  and  gratitude  constrain  me,  and  bind  me  closely  to 
thee.  Could  these  ties  which  do  bind  me  to  thee, 
my  God,  be  dissolved ;  I  would  seek,  with  unquench- 
able love,  to  have  them  speedily  renewed — never  to  be  dis- 
solved. Accept  then,  0  my  God,  the  homage  of  my  soul, 
the  affection  and  faith  of  this  heart,  the  submission  of  all  my 
faculties,  the  obedience  of  my  life.  And  may  the  delight- 
ful sacrifice,  and  service  be  always  offered  up  to  thee  through 
my  blessed  Redeemer,  and  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  when  my  pilgrimage  of  duty  and  discipline  is  finish- 
ed,  0   grant,  my  most  faithful   Creator  and  Redeemer,  a 


THE    christian's    LIFE.  33 

joyful  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  thy  glory.  And  this 
poor  body, — this  heap  of  dust, — having  slept  in  the  grave 
through  the  long  dark  night  of  death, — until  the  bright  morn- 
ing of  the  day  of  eternity, — let  it  rise  according  to  thy  will,  0 
my  heavenly  Father,  and  thy  rich  grace,  my  most  gracious 
Redeemer,  and  thy  glorious  power,  0  faithful  Holy  Spirit, 
a  pure,  and  a  powerful,  and  a  spiritual,  and  an  immortal 
body,  fashioned  according  to  Christ's  body.  And  let  me, 
as  one  of  thy  ransomed  servants,  0  my  gracious  God,  enter, 
soul  and  body, — "  a  perfect  man  in  Jesus  Christ,"  into  thy 
kingdom  above  ;  having,  through  the  infinite  riches  of  thy 
grace,  at  last,  attained  to  the  great  and  sole  end  of  my 
being ;  which  I  have  longed  for,  and  panted  after,  that  I 
might  enjoy  it  in  full  measure  with  my  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ; 
in  whose  name  we  pray, — "  Our  Father  who  art  heaven," 
&c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  II. 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

"  This  book,  this  holy  book,  on  every  line 
Marked  with  the  seal  of  high  Divinity, 
On  every  leaf  bedewed  with  drops  of  love 
Divine,  and  with  the  eternal  heraldry, 
And  signature  of  God  Almighty  stamped, — 
This,  Mercy  took,  and  in  the  night  of  time 
Stood,  casting  on  the  dark,  her  gracious  look  ; 
And  evermore  beseeching  man,  with  tears 
And  earnest  sighs,  to  read,  believe,  and  live. 


POLLOK. 


There  are  three  reasons  why  the  young  Christian  should 
be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  Holy  Bible.  He  owes 
it  to  his  own  personal  comfort,  in  the  Christian  course  ;  he 
will,  thence,  be  thoroughly  furnished  for  the  good  work  of 
edifying  those  around  him,  in  the  associations  of  life ;  and 
he  will  be  equipped  for  the  defence  of  divine  truth  against  its 
natural  enemies. 

It  is  called  The  Bible,  that  is,  TheJBooh,  by  way  of  emi- 
nence. No  other  writing  can  be  named  in  comparison 
with  it.  To  all  other  books  it  is  as  superior,  as  are  God's 
stupendous  works  over  the  whole  field  of  creation,  to  man's 
puny  works.  Its  sublime  and  pure  doctrines  are  as  superior 
t:>  the  loftiest  conceptions  of  man,  as  the  immortal  soul   is 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  35 

to  sordid  dust :  and  as  the  glories  of  eternity  are  to  the  fast 
fading  vanities  of  time. 

The  Bible  is  the  last  Will  and  Testament  of  God  our  Sa- 
viour. This  will  isj  strictly  speaking,  one.  It  is  called 
the  Old  Testament,  and  the  New,  simply  in  reference  to 
the  outward  form  of  its  twofold  dispensations.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament contains  the  exhibition  of  this  will  under  the  Jewish 
economy.  The  will  and  its  truths  are  eternal.  The  mode 
of  administration  only  was  old,  and,  like  that  which  is  old, 
it  has  vanished  away.  The  New  Testament  containing 
the  complete  disclosures  of  the  gospel,  has  a  form  of  ordi- 
nances that  is  always  new.  It  will  never  vanish  away  to 
give  place  to  another.  Its  freshness  and  glory  will  endure 
until  Christ's  second  coming. 

In   this  WILL,  our  dying  Lord  bequeathed  us  all  the  pur- 
chased blessings  of  the  everlasting  covenant.     Herein  they 
are  fully  detailed,  and  may  be  summed  up  in  two  words, — 
grace  and  glory.     And  no  enemy  can  hinder  us  from  pre- 
senting ourselves  with  filial  boldness,  to  receive  them  from 
our  Heavenly  Father's  hand.     For   our  Lord's   words   are 
full  of  divine  assurance  and  consolation.     "I  appoint," — 
allow   me  to  give   its  literal  translation, — "  I  bestow,  by 
covenant,  a  kingdom  upon  you  ;  even  as  my  father  hath,  by 
covenant,  bestowed  a  kingdom  upon  me."     Luke  xxii.  29. 
Now,  will  the  heir  of  an  earthly  inheritance  allow  himself 
to  remain  ignorant  of  his  possessions  and  rights?     And 
can  a  Christian  man  allow  himself  to  remain   ignorant  of 
his  Lord's  Will  and  Testament,  and  indifferent  about  it? 

Besides,  the  Christian  lives  not  for  himself  alone.  He 
has  it  in  charge  to  instruct  and  guide  the  young  :  to  reprove 
the  gainsayer  :  to  bring  back  the  wanderer  :  to  reclaim  the 
prodigal :  to  edify  the  church  :  and  to  spread  around  him 
the  hallowed,  and  hallowing  influence  of  a  holy  life.  All 
this  he  will  be  enabled  to  do,  just  in  proportion  as  he  is 
skilful  in  spiritual  things,  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures. 


36  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

And  let  us  not  forget  that  we  live  in  "  the  last  times." 
The  signal  given  us  by  our  Lord  has  appeared.  The 
"scoffer,"  and  "mocker"  of  God's  word,  have  come. 
They  appear  in  the  community  as  an  organized  body  of 
conspirators.  Hence  the  young  Christian  is  bound  by  the 
ties  of  honour  and  gratitude,  to  be  always  "  ready  to  give 
an  answer  to  every  man  who  asketh  him  a  reason  of  the 
hope  that  is  in  him,  with  meekness  and  fear."  And  he  must 
be  as  ready,  by  sound  doctrine,  to  convince  the  gainsayers, 
and  to  stop  the  mouths  of  unruly  and  vain  talkers,  and  de- 
ceivers. 

Were  the  young  Christian  not  bound  to  do  all  this,  and 
were  he  allowed  to  seek  the  life  of  a  recluse,  he  might  with 
impunity,  perhaps,  remain  unqualified  to  do  these  important 
services  to  God  and  man.  But,  as  his  own  faith  requires 
strong  nourishment  from  God's  word  ;  and  as  matters  stand 
with  the  enemies,  and  the  friends  of  Christ  in  these  last 
times ;  when  no  Christian,  old  or  young,  can  remain  neutral, 
each  one  must  gird  on  his  armour  ;  and  help  the  feeblest 
in  the  host  of  Israel  to  gird  on  his. 

We  begin  with  the  simplest  propositions.  A  revelation 
from  God  is  possible.  He  who  knows  all  things,  and 
who  created  the  soul  of  man,  can  communicate  his  mind, 
and  will  to  us,  so  as  to  make  it  perfectly  intelligible.  This 
needs  no  proof. 

Since,  then,  God  cmi  communicate  his  mind  to  us,  what 
ought  to  be  legitimately  inferred,  on  this  matter,  from  the  fact 
of  his  infinite  goodness  ?  Can  any  man  refuse  to  admit 
that  God  designs  to  pity,  and  save  his  sinful,  suffering  chil- 
dren, of  our  species  ?  If  so,  then,  how  can  any  one  reconcile 
with  the  truth  of  his  paternal  goodness,  the  monstrous  sup- 
position that  he  has  not  given, — that  he  will  not  give,  a  re- 
velation of  salvation  to  his  poor  erring  and  perishing  crea- 
tures 1  What !  Does  our  Creator,  in  his  mercy,  intend  to 
save  us  ;  and  yet  has  he  never  uttered  one  word  to  us  on  the 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  37 

matter  ]  What !  Does  God  intend  to  save  us,  and  yet  has 
he  never  told  us  how  to  seek  him ;  and  how  we  are  to  wor- 
ship him,  and  obtain  peace  and  hope  ?  What !  does  God 
intend  to  save  us  from  fear,  and  pain,  and  death  ]  And, 
yet,  does  he  tantalize  us,  and  vex  us,  and  slay  us  by  despair, 
in  keeping  us  in  perpetual  suspense,  and  doubt,  and  vexa- 
ation,  and  sorrow,  over  the  whole  field  of  human  existence  1 
I  envy  neither  the  head  nor  the  heart  of  that  man,  who 
can  imagine  such  a  theory.  He  trifles  with  the  happiness 
of  his  fellow-creatures  ;  and  venturously  brings  an  impeach- 
ment against  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  the  Almighty  ! 

A  revelation  of  God  is  necessary,  I  need  only  repeat, 
at  present,  the  truth  which  every  reflecting  man  will  admit ; 
namely,  that  God  alone  can  open,  and  declare  his 
MIND  and  will  to  MAN.  Eveu  the  thoughts  of  a  man  can 
no  man  discover,  if  he  chooses  to  give  no  utterance  to 
them.  Infinitely  less  can  any  of  the  sons  of  men  discover 
the  thoughts,  and  the  will  of  the  incomprehensible  God  ! 

Now,  unless  I  know  God's  mind,  how  can  I  know  how 
to  please  him  ]  Unless  I  know  his  holy  will,  how  can  I 
possibly  obey  him  ?  Unless  I  know  him,  how  can  I  love 
him  ?  If  I  am  left  ignorant  of  his  glory,  how  can  I  cherish 
an  exalted  devotion  to  him  ?  Am  I  left  to  rear  an  altar  to  the 
unknown  god  ?  Am  I  to  be  taught  that  ignorance  is  the 
mother  of  devotion  ]  If  I  must  conjecture  by  reason,  I  shall 
be  in  perpetual  doubt.  If  I  venture  to  mark  out  my  own 
course,  and  worship  God  in  my  own  way,  and  do  what  my 
will  inclines  me  to  do  ;  then  is  my  religion  wholly  an  act 
of  human  will-worship  !  And  I  shall  lie  under  the  fearful 
guilt  of  dictating  to  the  Almighty  what  I  judge  he  ought  to 
accept  from  guilty  man  !  Hence,  a  revelation  from  God  is 
essentially  necessary  to  beget,  and  cherish  true  worship 
and  pure  religion.  That  is,  it  is  essentially  necessary  on 
the  assumption  tliat  our  Creator  intends  to  save  us,  and 


4* 


3S  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

make  us  happy.     If  God  intends  no  mercy  to  us,  then  may 
we  look  for  no  Gospel  revelation  ! 

The  Holy  Bible  contains  this  divine  revelation  beyond 
all  reasonable  doubt. — This  we  now  proceed  to  show. 

First :  The  Bible  is  genuine ;  that  is,  all  the  books  of 
which  it  consists,  were  written  by  the  persons  whose  names 
they  respectively  bear. 

Second  :  It  is  authentic  ;  that  is,  it  relates  matters  of  fact 
as  they  did  happen ;  and  it  contains,  truly,  the  mind  and 
will  of  God. 

Third  :  It  is  credible  ;  that  is,  these  books  were  written 
by  men,  who  neither  were  deceived,  nor  did  deceive  others. 
The  facts  and  doctrines  which  they  taught  were  proclaimed 
to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men,  who,  being  their  cotem- 
poraries,  had  every  opportunity  of  exposing  what  was  not 
true,  to  their  own  certain  knowledge. 

Fourth  :  It  is  given  by  divine  inspiration,  through  holy 
men  of  God,  who  spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  He  conveyed  his  mind,  and  will  to  them  ;  suggest- 
ed to  them  the  words  to  be  used  by  them,  in  Hebrew  and 
Greek  ;  and  commanded  them  to  write  them  out  in  these 
specific  words.     l.Pet.  i.  21,  Rom.  xvi.  26. 

In  reference  to  the  genuineness  and  authenticity  of  the 
Holy  Bible,  I  observe,  in  general,  that  the  proof  thereof  is 
exactly  of  the  same  character  as  that  by  which  we  prove 
any  ancient,  or  modern  document  to  be  genuine,  and  authen- 
tic. 

The  young  Christian  can  make  the  experiment.  He  can 
prove  the  Holy  Bible  to  be  genuine  and  authentic,  precisely 
by  the  same  form  of  argument  by  which  he  proves  the  writ- 
ings of  Homer,  Virgil,  and  our  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, to  be  genuine  and  authentic.  Suppose  you  say 
to  the  sceptic,  I  adopt  your  process  of  doubting,  and  I  deny 
the  writings  of  Homer,  of  Virgil,  Voltaire,  and  the  docu- 
ment of  our  own  national  Independence,  to  be  either  au- 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  39 

the7itic,  or  genuine,  or  credible.  Mark  the  nature  and  course 
of  his  argument  in  reply,  which  he  will  with  accuracy,  adopt 
to  establish  the  genuineness  of  these  ancient,  and  modern 
documents.  And  when  he  has  finished  his  argument,  you 
need  only  beg  him  to  transfer  it  to  the  proof  of  the  Holy 
Bible. 

I  shall  now  present  a  condensed  argument,  on  the  gen- 
uineness, authenticity,  and  insjnration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

First  :  The  external  evidence.  This  amounts  to  a 
demonstration. 

I  shall  begin  with  the  evidence  of  miracles.  And  as  I 
propose  merely  a  specimen  of  this,  here,*  I  shall  confine 
myself  to  the  examination  of  the  New  Testament  writings 
as  established  by  the  evidence  of  miracles. 

And,  here,  let  me  repeat  the  Rules  laid  down  by  Les- 
lie, in  his  "  Short  Method  with  Deists." 

First :  The  miracles  wrought  in  evidence  of  the  divine 
commission  of  the  inspired  writers,  must  have  been  palpa- 
ble to  the  senses.  Second  :  They  must  have  been  publicly 
done.  Third  :  Public  monuments,  and  actions  must  have 
been  instituted  to  commemorate  the  sayings,  and  miracu- 
lous doings  of  Christ.  Fourth  :  These  monuments,  and 
actions  must  have  been  instituted  at  the  time  of  these  mi- 
raculous events. 

Now,  apply  these  rules.  The  miracles,  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  his  appearance  alive  after  his  death,  in  the  midst 
of  hundreds  of  witnesses,  wereentirely  such  as  came  within 
the  palpable  evidence  of  the  senses.  There  are  no  mira- 
cles of  Mohammed,  nor  in  the  pagan  world,  that  can  be 
adduced  as  parallel  to  these.  No  one  of  them  was,  like 
these  of  our  Lord,  palpably  evident  to  the  senses.  Now 
mark  the  point  of  this  argument.     The  Apostles  came  be- 

*  See  "  Lights  und  Shadows  of  Christian  Life."  Article  first, 
"  The  General." 


40  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

fore  the  rulers,  and  people  in  Jerusalem — not  in  a  distant 
and  foreign  land  ;  and  only  a  few  days  after  Christ's  de- 
cease— not  a  long  time  after  the  memory  of  him,  and  his 
works,  was  wearing  out  of  mind.  They  told  the  people  and 
rulers  that  he  was  alive  ;  that  they  had  seen  him,  and  con- 
versed with  him  ;  that  he  had  been  seen  by  five  hundred  per- 
sons at  one  time,  "  of  whom,"  they  said,  "  the  greater  number 
were  alive,"  and  among  them  ;  that  Christ  had  wrought  mira- 
cles before  their  own  eyes  ;  that  they  had  seen  him,  and  the 
people  had  seen  him,  cure  the  blind,  heal  the  maimed,  raise 
the  dead,  and  cast  out  demons. 

Moreover,  they  did,  themselves,  work  miracles  before 
the  people.  They  healed  diseases,  and  raised  the  dead  to 
life.  By  these  miracles,  which  could  be  wrought  only  by 
the  power  of  God  upon  them,  they  authenticated  their  tes- 
timony, which  was  borne  by  them  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  their  own  divine  mission  from  God,  as  his  apostles. 
By  these  miracles  was  there  an  evidence  furnished  to  the 
outward  senses,  and  to  the  reason,  and  judgment  of  men, 
utterly  overpowering. 

Their  mission  and  authority  from  God,  being  then  satis- 
factorily settled,  they  delivered  their  divine  doctrines,  laws, 
and  ordinances,  in  the  assemblies  of  the  people.  Their 
writings,  dictated  by  divine  inspiration,  were  deposited  pub- 
licly with  the  church.  These  autographs  were  preserved 
with  extraordinary  care,  in  the  archives  of  the  churches, 
until  copies  of  them  were  multiplied  over  the  vvorld. 

Next,  consider  the  method  taken  to  keep  up  the  vivid  re- 
membrance of  Christ's  miracles,  death,  resurrection,  and 
ascension  to  heaven.  Public  monuments  were  instituted  in 
the  days  of  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  at  the  time  when  these 
extraordinary  events  happened  publicly,  in  order  to  com- 
memorate them.  One  of  these  monuments  was  the  change 
of  the  Sabbath  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  or  the  Christian 
Sabbath  :  another  is  baptism  :  another,  the  Lord's  Supper  : 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  41 

another,  the  gospel  ministry :  and  the  entire  and  beautiful 
order  of  the  holy  sanctuary  of  God. 

These  doctrines,  laws,  and  divine  institutions  could  not 
possibly  have  been  fabricated  by  impostors,  in  the  days  of 
Jesus  Christ,  or  his  apostles,  and  the  Jews  then  living.  No 
combination  of  the  most  successful  impostors  could  have 
persuaded  the  multitudes  of  Jews,  converted  to  Christianity, 
at  Jerusalem,  to  keep  the  Sabbath  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  ;  or  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  in  solemn  com- 
memoration of  a  crucified,  risen,  and  ascended  Saviour, 
if  that  Saviour  had  never  been  heard  of  by  them,  and  had 
never  been  crucified,  and  had  never  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  had  never  ascended  into  heaven.  Within  a  few  days 
after  our  Lord's  ascension,  there  were  many  thousand 
Christians  in  Jerusalem.  Each  of  these  stood  up  as  a 
public  witness  of  the  facts  and  events  of  our  Lord's  mira- 
cles, death,  and  resurrection.  Each  of  these  was  a  living 
eye-witness  of  these  things  ;  and  each  of  these  handed 
down  these  things  to  their  children  ;  and  these,  again,  to 
theirs. 

Hence,  it  is  utterly  inconceivable  that  the  gospel  and  its 
sacred  institutions  could  have  been  invented,  as  a  fiction  in 
the  days  of  Christ,  and  the  apostles,  and  of  Pilate,  and  the 
Jews. 

It  is  equally  inconceivable  that  they  could  have  been  fa- 
bricated after  the  death  of  that  generation.  For  if  the 
following  generation  had  not  actually  received  the  New 
Testament,  and  its  sacred  institutions  from  the  cotempora- 
ries  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, — then  it  would  follow,  that 
certain  impostors  had  actually,  though  falsely,  persuaded 
millions  of  the  best  and  most  enlightened  men  of  all  na- 
tions, that  the  New  Testament,  just  now  made  known  to 
them  for  the  first  time,  had  been  actually  handed  down  to 
them  from  their  forefathers  !  For  so  it  is  stated  on  its  first 
pages. 


42  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

The  impostors,  on  this  supposition  of  infidels,  must 
have  persuaded  millions  of  the  shrewdest,  and  best  men  of 
all  nations,  that  they,  and  their  fathers  from  time  immemo- 
rial, were  baptized, — and  that  they,  and  their  fathers,  did 
continually  celebrate  the  LorcVs  Supper,  in  commemoration 
of  events  which  they  had  never  heard  of,  and  never  had 
believed. — A  thing  inconceivably  absurd  ! 

The  truth  is  : — Just  as  certainly  as  our  national  history, 
and  our  national  commemoration  of  independence  on  the 
4th  of  July,  do  afford  an  expression  of  the  nation's  belief 
in  the  public  fact  of  our  national  Independence  : — even  so, 
the  public  institutions  of  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per ;  and  the  Christian  Sabbath  ;  and  the  perpetual  Mi- 
nistry of  the  gospel,  do  stand  forth  as  grand  public  monu- 
ments, kept  up  throughout  the  whole  Christian  world,  to  exhi- 
bit the  unshaken  faith  of  reasonable  men,  in  the  facts,  and 
doctrines  of  the  New  Testament ! 

Second  : — Strong  as  is  the  evidence  of  miracles,  that  of 
PROPHECY  is,  perhaps,  still  stronger.  It  possesses  the  force 
of  a  miracle ;  and  of  one,  moreover,  lengthened  out  from  age 
to  age,  before  the  eyes  of  many  generations.  We  have  only 
to  read  the  prophecy ;  fix  the  remote  age  of  the  past  in 
which  it  was  uttered ;  then  turn  our  eyes  on  the  passing 
events,  givin  g  a  literal  fulfilment,  and,  as  it  were,  a  living 
reality,  to  the  thing  foretold  by  the  man  of  God  ;  and  we 
are  ourselves  possessed  of  the  evidence  of  the  truth  and  di- 
vinity of  the  Bible,  strong  as  is  any  evidence  which  a  ra- 
tional being  can  require,  not  even  excepting  the  evidence 
of  the  senses. 

For  instance,  1  open  the  holy  Book,  and  oflier  you  briefly 
a  specimen,  Gen.  xvi.  12.  Of  Ishmael  it  is  written,  that 
he  will  he  a  wild  man  ;  that  his  hand  will  he  against  every 
man,  and  every  man  against  him ;  and  that,  nevertheless,  he 
shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren.  Study  this, 
now,  in  the  light  which  history  sheds  over  the  national  cha- 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  43 

racter  and  fortunes  of  the  children  of  Ishmael,  the  Arabs  of 
the  desert ;  and  you  will  perceive  the  literal  fulfilment  of 
this  ancient  prophecy  carried  over  the  field  of  4000  years ! 
What  is  said  of  them  in  prophecy,  and  in  history,  can  be 
said  of  no  other  nation  under  heaven. 

Next,  study,  in  the  28th  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  the  de- 
nunciations against  the  Hebrew  nation  ;  examine  the  minute 
detail  of  the  terrible  calamities  which  were  to  befall  them  on 
their  apostacy  from  God.  These  were  foretold,  and  recorded 
by  Moses  nearly  3300  years  ago.  Then  read  the  history  of 
the  sufferings  of  that  wonderful  people,  and  their  jiresent 
condition  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  world.  All  these  evils 
they  were  to  endure,  while  they  should  be  scattered  into  all 
nations  under  heaven.  And  all  the  while  they  were  to  re- 
main a  distinct  people,  'not  counted  among  the  nations^  as 
an  integral  part  of  any  of  them  !  Here  are  the  predic- 
tions. Behold  the  terrible  fulfilment  up  to  the  very  letter ! 
It  presents,  from  age  to  age,  all  the  novelty,  and  all  the 
force  of  a  standing  miracle,  before  the  nations  of  the 
earth. 

But  the  most  prominent  of  all,  perhaps,  are  those  predic- 
tions relative  to  Messiah,  our  Lord.  They  marked  out  the 
spot,  and  named  it,  which  he  was  to  immortalize  by  his 
birth  ;  they  named  his  family  whence  he  was  to  spring  ;  they 
spoke  of  his  virgin  mother  ;  they  fix  the  precise  date  of  his 
decease.  See  Daniel  ix,  24 — 27.  Moreover,  they  detail  his 
manner  of  life,  his  doctrines,  his  sorrows,  his  agonies,  the 
selling  of  him  for  thirty  shekels,  the  piercing  of  his  hands  and 
feet.  These  records  were  in  public  circulation  throughout 
the  Hebrew  nation  ma?ii/  ceniwries  before  He  appeared  ;  and 
history,  sacred  and  profane,  has  faithfully  recorded  their  en- 
tire fulfilment ! 

And  time  would  fail  me  to  rehearse  the  predictions  re- 
specting Tyre,  and  Babylon,  and  Egypt ;  and  moreover,  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  dispersion   of  the  Jews,  the 


44  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

rapid  progress  of  Christianity,  its  check  by  the  kingdom  of 
darkness  for  1260  years,  the  rise  of  the  Eastern,  and  the 
Papal,  and  the  Infidel  Antichrists.  These  are  all  the  sub- 
jects of  prophecy.  And  the  evidence  of  their  accomplish- 
ment is  just  as  manifest,  so  far  as  it  has  been  evolved  by 
Providence,  as  is  the  evidence  of  their  having  been  deliver- 
ed, some  of  them  eighteen  centuries,  and  others  of  them 
twenty-five  centuries  ago  !" 

Third : — The  Historical  Argument  for  the  authen- 
ticity and  genuineness  of  the  Holy  Bible  is  irresistible. — 
Here  is  a  specimen  of  it : — From  the  present,  back  to  the  4th 
century — with  the  exception  of  a  few  eccentric  writers,  who 
sought  the  immortality  of  doing  mischief,  like  him  who  fired 
the  temple  of  Ephesus, — therehas  been  an  unbroken  and  con- 
tinuous chain  of  testimony,  and  evidence  of  the  most  satis- 
factory nature. 

In  the  4th  century,  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  churches 
in  Egypt,  in  Greece,  in  Rome,  and  over  Europe  ;  and  of 
such  illustrious  writers  as  Athanasius,  Augustine,  Jerome, 
Eusebius,  the  Cyrils,  and  Gregory. 

In  the  3d  century,  the  following  writers,  in  union  with  all 
the  church,  testify  to  the  authenticity,  and  genuineness  of 
the  Holy  Bible  ; — viz.  Arnobius,  Lactantius,  Origen,  Cy- 
prian, and  the  famous  German  Victorinus,  who  quotes  near- 
ly all  the  books  of  the  New  Testament. 

In  the  2d  century,  we  have  the  testimony  of  Tertullian, 
of  Clemens  of  Alexandria,  Iraeneus,  who  quotes  every  book 
of  the  New  Testament ;  and  gives  his  solemn  testimony 
to  "i/ie  code  of  the  JVeiv  Testament,  as  icell  as  the  Old." 
"  These  codes,"  says  he,  "  are  the  oracles  of  God,  and  are 
dictated  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  We  have  also  in  this  century, 
Justin  Martyr  ;  and  the  Epistle  of  the  persecuted  Christian 
Gauls  to  their  dear  brethren  of  Asia,  in  A.  D.  170.  And 
we  have  Tatian,  who  composed  a  harmony  of  the  four  gos- 
pels in  A.  D.  172. 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  45 

In  the  1st  century,  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  Jive 
apostolic  Fathers, — Barnabas,  the  fellow-laborer  of  Paul  ; 
Clemens,  mentioned  also  by  Paul  ;  Hermas,  who  wrote 
"  The  Pastor  ,•"  Ignatius  ;  and  Polycarp,  the  disciple  of  St. 
John.  Thus  we  have  an  unbroken  chain  of  writers,  and 
witnesses,  from  the  apostles  to  our  day. 

But  we  have  also  the  testimony  of  the  bitter  enemies  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  Jews  admit  the  facts,  events, 
and  miracles  of  Christ's  life,  but  ascribe  his  miracles  to  ma- 
gic. Cerinthus,  the  Ebionites,  and  Marcion  also,  admit 
these  facts  and  miracles. 

The  heathen  philosophers,  who  opposed  Christianity,  did 
all  of  them  admit  the  authenticity  and  genuineness  of  the 
jVew  Testament.  I  allude  to  Celsus,  the  antagonist  of  Ori- 
gen  ;  and  to  Porphery,  and  Julian  the  Apostate  ;  aiid  Mo- 
hammed in  the  6th  century.*  All  these  candidly  admitted 
the  Script'jres  to  be  genuine  ;  and  as  containing  real  facts, 
and  miracles  of  Christ. 

Thus,  we  have  the  decisive  testimony  of  ancient  unbe- 
lievers, against  the  recklessness  of  modern  infidels  ;  who 
live  at  so  remote  a  period  from  the  early  Christians,  that  they 
cannot  be  supposed  to  have  any  knowledge  in  the  matter, 
equal  to  that  of  their  predecessors. 

Second  :  Let  me  now  direct  you  to  the  internal  evi- 
dence of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

1  st :  We  perceive  a  divine  testimony  in  the  perfect  har- 
mony of  all  its  facts,  and  doctrines. 

1.  This  holy  volume,  you  see,  is  made  up  of  several  dis- 
tinct tracts,  written  by  men  of  the  most  various  tastes,  habits, 
and  stations  of  life  ;  and  from  their  condition,  and  the  distant 
periods  of  time  in  which  they  respectively  lived,  it  was  im- 
possible that  many  of  them  could  ever  see,  or  converse  with 
each  other.     Yet,  here  is  a  book  from  these  different  per- 

♦  See  Home's  {ntrod.  I.  p.  95. 
6 


46  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

sons,  who  lived  unknown  to  each  other,  and  scattered  over 
the  period  of  about  fifteen  hundred  years,  in  which  they  all 
utter  the  same  doctrines  relative  to  the  Deity  and  to  man  ; 
to  time  and  eternity.  And  there  is  hot  a  contradiction,  or 
even  a  dissension  in  sentiment  among  them,  over  the 
whole  extent  of  their  pages  ! 

2.  The  purity  and  spirituality  breathed  forth  in  them, 
demonstrate  that  they  could  have  their  origin  from  the 
Fountain  of  purity,  and  holiness  alone.  I  entreat  you,  my 
young  friend,  to  turn  your  mind  to  their  exhibitions  of  the 
unity  of  God,  of  the  person  of  the  Father,  and  of  tlie  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  of  the  pure  perfections  of  God, 
particularly  divine  justice,  and  divine  holiness,  ever  set 
before  you  on  the  foreground  of  all  their  exhibitions  of  infi- 
nite majesty  ;  and  of  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ — a  divine 
model  of  the  moral,  beautiful,  and  sublime  ;  and  of  the  most 
charming  loveliness  of  religion,  as  composed  of  a  perfect 
combination  of  all  the  virtues,  and  all  the  graces  that  can 
adorn  man,  and  beautify  an  angel ;  their  uncompromising 
reproofs  of  vice,  and  their  war  of  extermination  against 
crime  and  folly,  even  to  the  smallest  delinquency.  Let 
your  minds  be  possessed  with  clear  ideas  on  these  points  ; 
then  tell  me  what  mortal  could,  without  communications 
from  the  Deity,  ever  indite,  or  even  conceive,  such  things  ! 

3.  There  is  a  characteristic  sublimity  on  the  pages  of  the 
Bible,  to  which  no  unassisted  genius  ever  could  ascend.  I 
allude  to  the  conception  and  description  of  the  Deity  ;  the 
angels  ;  the  creation  ;  the  Deity's  kingdom  of  nature,  of 
Providence,  and  of  Redemption.  To  these  I  add  the  con- 
ception of  the  heavenly  state,  called  the  kingdom  of  glory  ; 
the  region  of  despair,  or  hell ;  and,  finally,  the  character  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour.  In  point  of  perfect  sublimity  in 
conception,  there  is  nothing  on  the  pages  of  ancient  or 
modern  sages  even  to  be  named   in   the  comparison  with 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  47 

these  ;  and  even  their  description  leaves  all  human  com- 
posers at  an  immeasurable  distance.     Take  a  specimen. 

"  God  said,  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  ivas  light.  God 
removeth  the  mountains,  and  they  hnoiv  not :  he  overturneth 
them  in  his  anger.  He  shaketh  the  earth  out  of  her  place, 
and  the  pillars  thereof  tremble.  He  measures  the  waters  of 
the  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  He  weighs  the  moun- 
tains in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance.^'' 

"  /  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  Him  that  sat  on  it,  be- 
fore whose  face  the  heavens  and  the  earth  fled  away,  and 
there  was  found  no  place  for  them.  Ayid  I  saw  the  dead, 
small  and  great,  stand  before  God  /" 

4.  The  invincible  efficacy  which  attended  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  is  a  clear  demonstration  of  its  divine  origin. 
Consider  the  simple  and  unassuming  character  of  the  apostles, 
and  primitive  ministers  of  religion,  utterly  without  patron- 
age and  power.  Remember  the  burden  of  their  messages,  the 
universal  corruption,  and  depravity  of  all  men,  and  salva- 
tion by  a  crucified  Saviour.  Take  into  view  also  the  cha- 
racter, and  prejudices  of  their  opponents,  such  as  the  pagan 
priesthood,  and  philosophers  ;  and,  in  fine,  the  nature  and 
perseverance  of  the  violence  resorted  to,  in  order  to  stop 
the  progress  of  Christianity.  Kings,  princes,  orators,  phi- 
losophers, all  human  eloquence,  and  all  civil,  and  military 
powers,  were  combined  in  deadly  hatred  against  them. 
What  could  human  means,  and  agency  do  to  repel  all  this, 
— far  less  to  make  triumphant  headway,  and  conquer  na- 
tions, and  kingdoms  to  Christ  ? 

Yet,  without  civil  power,  without  human  patronage,  and 
in  the  face  of  ferocious  persecution,  in  spite  of  tyranny  and 
superstition,  they  triumphed.  The  disciples  who  crowded 
around  the  holy  cross,  renounced  the  bloody  rites  and  reli- 
gion of  their  fathers  ;  they  abandoned  their  vices  and  abo- 
minations ;  they  became  virtuous  and  holy  men.  And 
these  disciples  were  not  all  from  paganism  ;  nor  were  they 


48  OP    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

all  of  mean  birth  or  humble  rank.  In  Jerusalem,  within  a 
^ew  days  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  many  of  the  chief 
priests,  and  multitudes  of  all  ranks,  embraced  Christianity. 
Within  perhaps  twelve  days,  first  three  thousand,  then  five 
thousand,  then  many  "  myriads,"  that  is,  "  ten  thousands," 
crowded  around  the  cross,  and  bowed  in  worship  to  our 
Lord.  And,  among  the  nations,  philosophers,  and  orators, 
and  governors,  and  generals,  and  multitudes  which  could 
not  be  numbered,  bowed  there  in  pure  devotion.  And  cast 
your  eyes  over  the  nations,  and  behold  the  fields  of  its 
triumph,  especially  since  the  Reformation,  and  especially  in 
our  happy  days  of  missionary  enterprise !  To  believe  that 
the  preaching  of  the  doctrines  of  the  cross  merely — which 
pronounce  human  wisdom,  folly,  and  its  highest  pursuits 
puerility,  and  its  favoured,  indulgences,  vices — could  attract 
so  many  of  the  learned  as  well  as  the  unlettered,  and  effect 
these  marvellous  conversions,  and  changes  which  are  exhi- 
bited in  the  moral  and  spiritual  character  of  the  Christian — 
and  effect  them,  moreover,  without  the  special  power  of  God 
— is  a  thing  utterly  above  all  human  credence.  The  man 
who  can  believe  this,  believes  in  a  miracle  without  admit- 
ting any  evidence  to  sustain  it :  it  is  the  admission  of  the 
mightiest  effects — the  subjects  of  historical  record — while 
no  adequate  cause  is  assigned  to  produce  them  !  And  yet 
the  infidel  believes  all  this  !  So  true  is  it,  as  Home  observes, 
that  deists  are  much  more  credulous  than  what  even  they 
themselves  represent  Christians  to  be  ! 

5.  I  hasten  to  a  close  :  yet  there  is  one  evidence  which 
I  cannot  omit — internal,  I  may  call  it.  It  is  this  :  A  man's 
reason  may  yield  to  the  force  of  argument,  and  yet  he  may 
not  be  convinced  in  his  heart. 

There  is  instruction  in  the  Holy  Bible  infinitely  touch- 
ing and  divine.  And,  oh  I  were  not  the  heart  barricaded 
behind  vice  and  prejudice,  how  forcibly  it  would  feel  this  ! 
My  dear  reader,  set  before  thy  heart  the  august  majesty  of 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  49 

the  Deity.  View,  in  the  light  of  eternity,  the  untold  worth 
of  thy  soul,  and  the  comparative  worthlessness  of  all  sub- 
lunary objects.  Keep  ever  in  the  foreground  of  thy  medi- 
tations, death,  judgment,  and  eternity  ;  and  let  all  this  men- 
tal effort  and  discipline  be  sanctified  by  prayer.  Then 
read  the  Holy  Bible  ;  read  it  with  the  meek  and  docile 
spirit  of  a  child  sitting  at  its  Heavenly  Father's  feet.  In 
that  holy  page  thou  wilt  see  the  justice  and  holiness  of 
God  standing  forward,  pre-eminently  conspicuous.  But, 
then,  they  are  most  sweetly  tempered  by  the  presence  of 
divine  goodness  and  love.  There  pity  finds  its  way  to  the 
wretched  bosom  ;  grace  to  the  undeserving  ;  mercy  to  the 
perishing !  And  then,  there  is  the  Divine  Mediator,  ready 
to  save — oh,  my  dear  young  reader,  ready  to  save  thee  also  I 
And  there  is  a  suitableness,  and  perfection  of  grace  in  this 
Holy  One  to  meet  all  thy  wants,  and  to  cure  all  the  mise- 
ries of  thy  mind  !  A  penetrating  and  delightful  constraint 
overpowers  the  whole  soul.  A  healing  efficacy  is  exerted 
over  the  troubled  conscience.  A  sweetly  persuasive  force 
takes  captive  the  whole  heart,  and  sends  its  divine  and 
transforming  energies  over  the  entire  man.  We  are  won 
over  by  the  overpowering  beauty  of  God.  We  see  in  him 
a  kind,  reconciling.  Heavenly  Father  :  we  see  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  Son  of  man,  who  first 
loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us.  We  rest  not  in  cold 
speculation,  while  we  read  the  sacred  page.  We  yield  him 
more  than  the  coldness  of  respect  and  admiration.  The 
hardness  of  the  heart  breaks,  and  is  sweetly  dissolved  into 
tenderness  and  affection.  We  fall  down  before  him,  and 
yield  him  the  homage  of  our  hearts,  and  our  lives.  We 
yield  ourselves  willing  captives  to  the  divine  power  of  his 
word.  We  hiotu  it  to  be  from  God.  We  feel  it  to  be  di- 
vine, and  we  cannot  be  shaken  from  our  faith  and  our 
hopes  by  the  barren  speculations  of  ungodly  men.  We 
have  a  demonstration  within  the  core  of  our   hearts,  wLich 

6* 


50  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

earth  and  hell  cannot  shake — that  God  has  spoken   to   us, 
and  touched  our  hearts. 

les!  the  impiety  of  the  infidel's  books  and  tracts  may- 
excite  my  grief,  and  my  disgust.  Herbert  and  Bolingbroke 
may  utter  their  reproaches  against  the  Holy  Bible,  as,  iu 
revolting  hypocrisy,  they  bepraise  it  the  while.  Hume,  and 
his  disciples  of  the  maniac  philosophism,  may  affect  deep 
investigation  and  disinterestedness  in  the  search  of  what 
they  call  truth,  while  they  betray  their  ill-concealed  malice 
against  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Was  the  loyalty  of  a  child's 
heart  ever  persuaded  to  leave  a  kind  father's  arms,  to  follow 
a  hateful  stranger,  whose  cold  repulsive  sophistry  strikes 
dead,  even  the  hope  of  peace,  and  of  heaven  1  Were  the 
whole  influence  of  deism  to  pour  the  enchantment  of  its 
eloquence  on  the  ear  of  a  child  ;  or  were  it,  with  the  vehe- 
mence of  Rabshakeh,  to  open  on  him  the  floodgates  of  blas- 
phemy, could  it  drive  him  from  his  filial  duty,  or  shake  his 
faith  in  his  Heavenly  Father?  No,  no  !  It  might  excite  a 
pang  of  regret,  and  a  tear  of  sympathy  over  men  rushing 
madly  into  an  undone  eternity.  But,  oh !  never  could  it  se- 
duce him  from  his  allegiance !  Listen  to  me,  young  men 
— my  children,  listen  to  me.  This  feeble  voice  shall  bear 
this  on  your  ears,  were  it  its  last,  and  dying  testimony.  In- 
fidels would  take  away  from  you  the  sun,  and  offer  you  the 
glimmerings  of  the  dying  lamp.  They  beckon  you  from  a 
palace,  to  lie  down  with  them  in  a  dungeon.  They  seek  to 
seduce  you  from  associations  with  beings  in  whose  charac- 
ter all  that  is  beautiful,  and  holy,  and  divine,  is  combined  ; 
to  mingle  in  dens  of  wickedness,  with  men  without  devotion 
— without  religion — without  God — without  hope  !  They 
would  demonstrate  that  to  be  true  which  we  hioio  and  feel 
to  be  false.  They  try  to  woo  us  over  to  their  folly  by  the 
mockery  of  Him  who  is  dearer  to  our  hearts  than  life  itself. 
They  tempt  us  to  the  barter  of  supreme  felicity,  by  offering 
us  perishing  dust.     They   tempt  us   from   the  side  of  the 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  51 

Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  mingle  with  them  in  the  horrid  dance 
of  the  demons  of  death.  They  tempt  us  a^yay  from  the 
expanding  gates  of  immortal  glory,  to  crowd  with  them  into 
the  gulf  of  perdition.  Oh,  my  dear  youth,  "  madness  is  in 
their  hearts  while  they  live,  and  after  that  they  go  to  the 
dead  /"  Eccl.  ix.  3.  Can  you  be  so  weak — I  will  not  say, 
so  depraved — as  to  yield  your  faith  to  such  a  system  1  Can 
the  morality  of  these  men  entice  your  hearts,  or  win  your 
confidence?  Can  the  prospects  they  set  before  you,  entice 
you  from  the  hopes  of  the  Gospel  1  Can  the  beings  with 
whom  they  invite  you  to  associate,  seduce  you  from  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  1 

aUESTIONS. 

Give  the  names  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  ?  Explain  these. 
Why  should  we  diligently  study  the  Scriptures  ?  What  are 
the  points  on  which  the  Christian  is  at  issue  with  the  unbe- 
liever, in  this  matter  i  Prove  that  a  revelation  from  God 
is  necessary.  What  is  meant  by  the  Scriptures  being  geri- 
nine  ?  By  their  being  authentic  1  By  their  being  credible  ? 
By  their  being  inspired  1  How  do  you  prove  any  ancient 
author's  book  genuine,  and  aiitheritic  ?  Apply  this  form  of 
argument  to  the  Holy  Scriptures.  How  is  the  evidence  of 
divine  revelation  divided  1  What  is  the  Externa/ Evidence  ? 
Recite  the  first  of  this  class  of  evidence.  Define  a  miracle. 
— It  is  an  extraordinary  act  of  God's  power,  suspending  the 
laws  of  nature  ;  or  operating  contrary  to,  or  above  their  or- 
dinary course,  in  order  to  bear  testimony  of  the  highest 
order,  to  his  truths. 

Repeat  the  four  Rules  of  Leslie,  by  which  we  test  the 
evidence  by  miracles. 

Apply  these  in  the  case  of  our  Lord's  miracles,  and  those 
of  his  apostles. 

When  the  apostles,  and  prophets  had  once  established  their 


62  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

divine  mission  by  miracles,  did  not  the  church  thenceforth 
receive  the  messages  as  infallibly  inspired  1 

What  are  the  monumental  evidences  of  these  miracles, 
and  of  this  divine  inspiration  of  the  Bible? 

What  is  the  second  branch  of  External  evidence  ?  Ex- 
plain this  evidence  :  give  specimens  of  prophecy.  The 
third  class  of  external  evidence  is  the  historical  argument. 
Explain  :  give  specimens  of  it. 

What  is  the  second  division  of  the  evidence  of  the  Bible  ? 

What  is  the  first  instance  of  internal  evidence  ?  What 
is  the  second  ]     The  third  ]     The  fourth  ?     The  fifth  ? 

There  is  a  peculiar  form  of  evidence  that  is  lodged,  and 
cherished  in  the  Christian's  heart.     What  is  that  ] 

Have  you,  my  dear  youth,  felt  in  your  soul,  and  heart, 
this  internal  demonstration, — this  witnessing  of  the  spirit 
of  truth  in  you  ? 

A  MEDITATION. 

How  deplorable  had  been  our  condition,  had  God  in  his 
just  retribution,  left  us  without  a  revelation  of  his  mind, 
and  will !  From  the  condition  of  pagan  lands,  and  those 
countries,  where  the  people  have  permitted  their  tyrants  to 
banish  the  Holy  Bible,  can  we  imagine  what  our  condition 
had  been,  if  God  had  never  visited  us  with  the  gospel. 

Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul !  for  the  precious  word  of  his 
truth  and  mercy.  And  blessed  be  our  Heavenly  Father's 
love,  for  the  kind  and  merciful  manner  in  which  he  has 
conferred  these  gifts  of  his  will. 

He  pours  on  our  minds  the  light  of  External  Evidence. 
He  stretched  forth  his  arm  of  power  in  miracles,  wrought 
in  the  presence  of  foes,  and  friends.  By  these,  was  the 
divine  mission  of  our  Lord,  and  his  commissioned  ser- 
vants, confirmed  before  the  church.  And,  thence,  was  the 
divine  inspiration  of  their  messages,  and  writings,  confirm- 
ed in  the  amplest  and  most  satisfactory  manner  before  all. 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  63 

In  his  superahounding  goodness,  has  he  added,  for  our 
establishment  in  the  faith,  and  spiritual  comfort,  another 
class  of  evidence,  a  series  of  standing  miracles, — the 
PROPHECIES.  By  his  inspiration,  his  prophets  recorded  the 
coming  of  certain  events  of  mighty  importance  to  the 
church,  and  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  "  If  our  messages 
from  heaven  to  a  lost  world  be  true,"  said  they, — "  these 
events  will  certainly  come  to  pass."  They  did  come  to 
pass.  Many  of  them  were  unfolded,  centuries  after  they 
were  predicted  :  and  history  has  faithfully  recorded  their  ful- 
filment. This  is  an  evidence  ever  growing  ;  and  shining 
brighter,  and  brighter.  Some  of  these  prophecies  are  now 
being  fulfilled  :  and  some  of  them,  during  the  coming  ge- 
nerations, will  yet  continue  to  shed  the  light  of  their  de- 
monstration over  the  book  of  God. 

To  all  this  evidence  he  has  added  that  of  history. 
And  he  who  rejects  this  kind  of  evidence,  must  reject  every 
item  of  ancient  and  modern  history. 

It  is  the  law  of  my  nature  to  receive  the  evidence  of 
testimony,  as  confidently  as  the  evidence  of  my  senses. 
A  jury  decides  on  matters  of  the  last  moment — even  life 
and  death,  from  the  evidence  of  testimony.  It  is  pre- 
cisely according  to  the  law  of  Almighty  God,  impressed 
upon  our  nature.  If  I  refuse  this  testimony,  I  do  actually 
put  myself  in  opposition  to  Almighty  God !  I  am  rebelling 
against  the  laws  which  he  has  imprinted  on  my  soul,  and 
conscience,  indelibly  !  In  that  case  am  I  an  infidel  against 
the  God  of  nature !  Of  course,  I  must  receive  the  Holy 
Bible  on  the  evidence  presented  to  me,  complete  and  irre- 
sistible as  it  is  :  or,  as  the  only  alternative,  I  must  degrade 
myself  by  acting  contrary  to  the  law,  and  nature  of  a  ration- 
al being  ! 

Even  this  is  not  all.  In  addition  to  this  overpowering 
evidence,  we  have  the  irresistible  testimony  of  internal 
evidence.  For  instance,I  look  at  the  perfect  harmony  in  the 


64  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

divine  pages.  There  is  nothing  to  equal  this,  in  all  the  inci- 
dents of  history,  or  science.  The  writers  of  the  inspired 
books,  were  fishermen,  herdsmen,  shepherds,  philosophers, 
princes,  and  kings.  They  were  separated  from  each  other, 
not  by  rank  only,  but  by  time.  They  lived  over  a  space 
of  fifteen  hundred  years.  Yet,  they  all  think  exactly  alike, 
all  teach  the  same  pure  heavenly  doctrines  :  all  concur  pre- 
cisely in  the  same  facts,  and  in  the  same  opinions  on  the 
same  facts.  There  is  not  an  instance  of  diversity  in  senti- 
ment, in  feeling,  in  wishes.  They  express  the  same  faith  ; 
they  avow  the  same  hopes ;  they  worship  the  same  God  ; 
they  advocate  the  same  Redeemer,  the  same  worship,  and 
form  of  religion.  In  short,  these  diversified  characters, 
who  never  saw  each  other,  who  lived  remotely  from  each 
other,  over  a  space  of  fifteen  centuries,  exhibit  one  uniform, 
unerring,  inimitable,  and  perfect  harmony  in  every  senti- 
ment, and  expression  !  No  combination  of  human  wisdom, 
knowledge,  and  sagacity  could  have  achieved  this.  The 
boundless  and  endless  variations  and  contradictions  of  hu- 
man books  exhibit  an  unanswerable  proof  of  this.  The 
only  solution  is  this.  These  holy  men  all  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

But,  the  progress  of  science  discloses  a  new  harmony 
here.  I  mean  the  exact  harmony  of  Divine  revelation  with 
all  the  genuine  disclosures  of  science  in  nature,  and  provi- 
dence. Every  discovery  of  historical  researches,  and  geo- 
logy throws  a  new  light,  and  lends  a  fresh  evidence  to  the 
Book  of  God.  And  the  wisest  of  our  philosophers  now 
take  the  Bible  as  their  unerring  guide,  even  in  the  novel 
points  of  science.  The  God  of  nature,  and  providence  is 
the  God  of  our  salvation.  Food  is  not  more  adapted  by  his 
goodness  to  the  hungry  ;  nor  light  to  the  eyes  ;  nor  sound 
to  the  ears;  than  are  the  good  news  and  glad  tidings  of  his 
gospel  to  guilty  and  dying  man  ! 

In  addition  to  all  this,  there  is  the  combination  of  divine 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES,  55 

and  fascinating  beauties.  What  moral  loveliness  on  the 
page  of  divine  revelation  !  What  purity  !  What  sublimity 
in  natural  imagery,  and  mental  conceptions  !  What  a  di- 
vine, and  invincible  efficacy  attends  them  !  By  them  are 
we  renewed,  reformed,  and  sanctified. 

Then,  there  is  the  overwhelming  appeal  to  our  certain  ex- 
perience, as  rational  beings  and  Christians.  The  Bible 
describes  the  knowledge  of  God.  I  feel  that  I  do  know 
him,  as  there  described.  The  Bible  describes  the  love  of 
God.  I  feel  that  I  love  him,  as  there  described.  The 
Bible  sets  before  me  the  only  Saviour,  and  the  mode  of  ac- 
cepting him.  I  trust  I  feel  that  I  have  that  faith  in  him 
which  it  describes,  and  that  I  cleave  to  him  by  that  love 
which  it  commands.  The  Bible  alone  details  the  process 
of  regeneration,  and  sets  forth  the  duties,  and  happiness  of 
penitence,  and  a  holy  life.  I  humbly  believe  that  I  feel  in 
me,  that  new  nature, — that  passing  from  death  to  life  ;  that 
"  mournful  joy,  and  pleasing  pain,"  attending  true  repent- 
ance, and  holiness  in  the  Christian  life. 

There  is  a  sober  reality  in  this.  A  child  can  discern 
infallibly  his  father's  voice  in  the  dark  night  of  his  wander- 
ings. And  can  any  one  persuade  me  that  I  cannot  discern 
the  voice  of  my  Heavenly  Father,  speaking  to  me  in  his 
word,  and  in  my  heart  1  Can  I  feel,  without  deception,  that 
my  heart  loves  my  kind  parents?  And  can  any  one  per- 
suade me  that  I  do  not  know  that  I  love  my  God,  and  Sa- 
viour 1  This  is  the  sober  knowledge  of  fact,  and  mental 
experience.  And  it  corresponds,  of  course,  with  the  dic- 
tates of  infallible  authority.  I  open  the  holy  book,  and 
thus  read: — "If  any  man  will  do  God's  will, he  shall  know 
of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God. "John  vii.  17.  "  Hereby 
we  do  know,  that  we  know  God,  if  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments." 1  John  ii.  3. 

I  humbly  trust  I  feel  by  God's  grace,  that  I  will  do  God's 
will.     And,   thence,   I  know,  that   these  doctrines  are  of 


66  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

God.  I  know  when,  by  his  grace,  I  keep  God's  com- 
mands ;  and,  hence,  I  have  the  assurance  that  I  know  my 
God  and  Saviour.  As  no  human  power  can  persuade  me 
against  the  evidence  of  my  external  senses  :  even  so,  no 
Satanic  power  shall  be  able  to  persuade  me  against  the  evi- 
dence of  my  internal  senses. 

I  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  there  is  as  genuine 
philosophy  in  the  evidence  of  the  Bible,  and  of  practical 
religion  ;  as  there  is  in  any  branch  whatever^  of  judicial,  or 
scientific  evidence. 

Precious  Bible  !  What  a  rich  treasure  have  I  found  in 
this  book  1  Every  thing  do  I  find  here  necessary  for  me 
to  know,  as  it  respects  grace,  and  glory  ;  time  and  eterni- 
ty !  0  my  God,  help  me  to  render  to  thee  my  humble  and 
hearty  thanks  for  it,  and  all  the  blessings  which  it  an- 
nounces to  us ! 

A  PRAYER. 

Almighty  God,  and  merciful  Father,  I  would  humbly  ap- 
proach thee  in  the  light  which  thy  love  has  shed  on  us,  by 
thy  Holy  Word.  In  this  light  alone  can  I  see  thee,  and 
know  thee,  my  God,  in  Jesus  Christ.  Blessed  be  thou,  0 
Lord,  for  the  choice  gift  of  thy  Holy  Scriptures,  conveyed 
to  us  by  thy  prophets,  and  apostles. 

The  mystery  of  thy  will,  and  good  pleasure,  was  kept 
secret  since  the  world  began  ;  and  none  of  all  the  sous  of 
men  could  penetrate  it.  But  now,  it  is  made  manifest ;  and, 
by  the  Scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  thy  command, 
O  everlasting  God,  is  it  made  known  to  all  nations,  for  the 
obedience  of  faith.  To  thee,  my  God,  do  I  give  hearty 
thanks,  and  praise,  for  this  precious  gift  of  thy  mind,  and 
will,  through  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord. 

And  these  Holy  Scriptures  hast  thou,  moreover,  graciously 
given  to  us,  in  a  language  which  we  understand.  Thou 
hast  ill  great  mercy,  set  us  free  from  the  tyranny  of  thy  foes, 


OP    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  57 

and  our  foes,  who  lock  up  the  holy  Bible,  and  declare  it  a 
prohibited  book.  Glory  be  to  thy  kind  providence,  which 
gave  me  my  being  in  a  land  of  Bibles,  and  the  glorious  gos- 
pel light.  For  this  rich  boon  of  thy  love,  will  I  adore  thee 
for  ever  ! 

These  Holy  Scriptures  hast  thou  ordained  to  be  a  light 
to  my  feet,  and  a  lamp  to  my  path.  Without  them,  I  know, 
O  Lord,  that  it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh,  to  direct  his 
steps.  Without  them,  could  I  never  find  my  way  over  the 
dark  mountains,  to  the  throne  of  thy  glory.  To  my  weary 
soul,  thy  Word  is  the  refreshing  cloud  by  day ;  and  the 
shining  of  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  throughout  my  pilgrim- 
age in  this  wilderness.  Oh  !  lead  me,  and  guide  me,  dear 
Shepherd,  through  all  this  wearisome  journey.  And  tell  me, 
O  thou  whom  my  soul  loveth,  where  thou  feedest  at  morn, 
and  eve,  and  where  thou  causest  thy  flock  to  rest  in  the 
burning  hour  of  noon  ;  and  let  me  never  turn  aside  after 
the  flocks  of  thy  companions.  Thee  will  I  follow  whither- 
soever thou  leadest.  And  thy  steps,  beaming  with  the  hea- 
venly light  of  thy  word,  will  conduct  me  over  Jordan  into 
Canaan,  thy  glorious  resting-place. 

Let  me  feel  more  and  more,  that  mercy  which  has  enjoin- 
ed on  me  the  duty  of  searching  thy  Scriptures.  For  they 
testify  of  thee ;  and  in  them  we  know  that  we  have  eternal 
life.  Thou  bestowest  blessings  on  the  man  who  delights  in 
the  law  of  God,  and  who  therein  meditates  day  and  night. 
Open  mine  eyes,  0  Lord,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things 
out  of  thy  law.  Then  shall  thy  testimonies  be  more  and 
more  my  delight,  and  my  counsellors. 

Thy  law,  O  Lord,  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul ;  it  is 
living  and  powerful ;  it  is  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword, 
piercing  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit.  Here, 
0  my  God,  on  this  heart  of  mine,  let  thy  divine  grace  prove 
the  blessedness  of  its  perfection,  and  its  converting  pow- 
er.    Thy  testimony  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.     Let 

6 


68  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

my  longing  soul,  0  Lord,  enjoy  this  testimony  of  thine. 
It  is  sure  ;  it  contains  the  unalterable  doctrines,  and  pro- 
mises of  thy  love.  It  discloses  the  never-failing  mercy  of 
the  well-ordered,  and  everlasting  covenant.  It  sends  home 
to  my  disconsolate  heart,  in  the  hour  of  sorrow,  the  reviv- 
ing assurances  of  thy  unfailing  presence,  and  unchanging 
love. — It  makes  the  simple  wise.  I  confess  to  thee,  O  Lord, 
that  I  am  simple  and  foolish.  I  am  constantly  exposed  to 
be  the  prey  of  sin  ;  and  am  apt  to  be  tossed  to  and  fro  by 
every  vain  thing  of  time,  and  sense.  Oh !  grant  me  the 
entrance  of  thy  word,  to  send  its  wisdom  and  illumination 
into  the  inner  man,  that  I  may  be  wise  to  seek  my  salvation, 
and  glory  in  the  cross  of  Christ  alone. 

All  thy  statutes  are  right ;  rejoicing  the  heart.  I  have 
been  a  helpless  wanderer  from  thee,  0  Lord,  the  shepherd 
and  bishop  of  my  soul.  Oh !  bring  me  back  from  all  places 
into  which  I  have  wandered  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day. 
Feed  me  with  thy  rod,  among  the  flock  of  thine  heritage, 
which  dwell  solitarily  in  the  wood,  in  the  midst  of  Carmel, 
as  in  the  days  of  old!  Every  command  of  thy  word,  0 
Lord,  is  pure.  From  the  fountain  of  infinite  purity  they 
issued.  And  to  the  purity  of  perfection  in  glory,  do  they 
lead  us.  Shed  forth,  I  humbly  beseech  thee,  0  my  God, 
their  purity  into  my  heart,  and  life  :  that,  being  beautified 
with  thy  holiness,  I  may  reflect  back  the  fair  image  of  its 
purity,  to  glorify  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven. — The  fear  of 
the  Lord  is  clean  ;  it  endureth  for  ever.  Oh !  for  this  fear 
of  the  Lord,  which  is  produced,  and  cherished  in  the  soul  by 
thy  word  and  spirit ;  this  cleansing  fear,  which  fills  the  heart 
with  a  godly  jealousy,  and  watchful  care,  and  holy  anxiety 
to  drive  from  the  heart  all  that  is  defiling  ;  which  purifies  the 
soul  for  heaven  ;  and  which  endureth  for  ever  in  its  imperish- 
able beauty  in  that  land  of  the  holy  ! 

Through  this  word  of  thine,  0  Lord,  grant  me  sweet  com- 
munion with  thee,  in  aii  my  trials,  and  in  all  my  earthly  joys. 


OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  69 

More  precious  to  me  than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold ; 
and  sweeter  than  honey,  and  the  honeycomb,  is  the  com- 
munion of  the  soul  with  thee,  0  my  Heavenly  Father  ;  and 
with  thee,  my  Blessed  Redeemer  ;  and  with  thee,  O  Holy 
Spirit  !  And  oh !  my  God,  whatever  thou  mayest  deny  me, 
in  this  world,  or  see  fit  to  take  fi-om  me, — may  I  ever  enjoy 
the  love  of  my  Heavenly  Father  ;  and  the  grace  of  my 
blessed  Redeemer,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  glory  shall  be  thine,  in  Christ  for  ever.  "  Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  thy  name,  &c.  Amen. 


CHAPTER  III. 


OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE,    LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD. 

"  This  is  life  eternal  to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God." 

I.  God's  Existence. — The  God  of  nature  is  the  God  of 
the  Bible,  the  God  of  Adam,  his  posterity,  and  the  church. 
This  point  is  settled  in  the  book  of  Genesis  ;  and  uniformly 
recognized  over  all  the  pages  of  holy  writ. 

"  That  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  to  man  ; 
for  God  hath  showed  it  to  him  ;  for  the  invisible  things  of 
him  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen,  being 
understood  by  the  things  that  are  made  ;  even  his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead.  So  that  man  is  without  excuse." 
Rom.  i.  19,  20. 

"  Day  utters  speech  to-day,  and  night  to-night, 
Tells  knowledge.     Silence  has  a  tongue  ;  the  grave, 
The  darkness,  and  the  lonely  waste,  has  each, 
A  tongue  that  ever  says, — Man,  think  of  God  ! 
Think  of  thyself!     Think  of  eternity  ! 
Fear  God,  the  thunders  say ;  fear  God,  the  waves ; 
Fear  God,  the  lightning  of  the  storm  replies. 
Fear  God,  deep  loudly  answered  back  to  deep  !" 

POLLOK. 

The  existence  of  mind,  matter,  and  motion,  do  most 
conclusively  prove  that  there  is  a  God.     Could  that  globe 


OUR    GOD,    ETC.  61 

Standing  before  you,  make  itself;  or  spring  up  into  being 
without  the  hand  of  the  artist  ?  Could  this  vast  earth,  and 
these  globes  rolling  around  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven, 
create  themselves ;  or  spring  into  being,  by,  chance  ?  What 
power  short  of  omnipotence  could  put  these  worlds  into 
motion  ?  What  wisdom  short  of  infinite  wisdom,  could 
plan  the  heavens  and  the  earth;  adapt  each  part  to  the 
whole ;  arrange  each  globe  in  its  own  proper  place  ;  and 
roll  them  on  without  defect,  or  confusion,  each  in  its  own 
orbit  ?  What  but  an  infinite  mind  and  spirit,  could  create 
so  many  diverse  minds ;  and  give  to  each  its  own  faculties 
and  attributes  ;  and  preserve  them  in  mental  operation  ] 

The  devout  mind  sees  the  presence  of  God  in  every 
thing.  We  see  God  operating  in  grandeur  and  power,  in 
the  minutest  things,  and  greatest  things  ;  in  the  wonders 
of  the  grain  of  sand;  in  the  wonders  of  the  stupendous 
hills  ;  in  the  wonders  of  the  great  deep.  We  trace  his 
footsteps  by  the  microscope,  in  the  minute  world,  of  ani- 
mate and  inanimate  things,  removed  far  below  the  reach  of 
the  naked  eye.  By  the  telescope  we  trace  his  wonderful 
outgoings,  in  the  vast  regions  of  the  heavens,  far  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  unassisted  eye.  We  see  his  beauty  and 
goodness  in  spring  :  in  the  splendours  of  summer  :  in  the 
profusions  of  autumn  :  and  his  glory  in  the  rolling  clouds, 
and  roaring  tempests  of  winter.  "  My  father  made  them  all !" 
We  hear  him  in  the  murmuring  stream  ;  in  the  whispering 
breeze  ;  in  the  loud  moaning  of  the  winds.  His  voice  is 
uttered  in  the  roaring  wave,  and  the  peal  of  thunder.  We 
see  his  terrible  glory  in  the  flash  of  his  lightning  ;  and  the 
gleaming  thunderbolt !  His  name  is  written  on  every  plant, 
on  every  flower,  on  every  tree  ;  from  the  humble  shrub  to  the 
stateliest  oak  of  the  forest.  His  being  and  perfections  are 
uttered  aloud  overall  the  kingdoms  of  nature,  and  providence. 

In  these  disclosures  am  I  taught  distinctly  that  there  is 
an  Almighty  Creator  of  all  things.     And  I  see, — I  know, 
6* 


62 


OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 


— I  feel,  that  he  is  a  just,  and  a  terrible  Being,  as  well 
as  a  GOOD  Being.  I  look  on  the  innumerable  displays  of 
his  goodness  on  the  earth,  in  the  air,  in  the  waters  ;  and 
I  would  fondly  love  him.  I  look  on  his  terrible  judgments  ; 
I  see  him  "marching  through  the  land  in  indignation  ;"  I  see 
him  in  the  awful  justice  of  his  nature,  "  threshing  the  heathen 
in  his  anger ;"  and  I  tremble  before  him,  and  throw  myself 
down  in  despair.  I  see  his  messengers  of  justice,  war,  famine, 
pestilence,  diseases,  death,  sweeping  away  our  species,  gene- 
ration after  generation.  I  am  filled  with  horror,  and  all  my 
bones  quake,  before  him.  I  am  conscious  of  guilt.  I  am 
conscious  of  his  inflexible  holiness.  Can  such  a  Being 
love  me?  Can  he  pity  me?  Can  he  have  mercy?  No 
creature  can  answer  this.  All  nature  is  dumb.  Human 
wisdom  says,  it  is  not  in  me  to  answer. 

The  Bible  alone  can  answer  this ;  and  it  has  fully  an- 
swered it.  It  has  drawn  the  hitherto  impenetrable  veil 
thrown  over  the  Deity.  It  points  our  eyes  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God.  And  it  sends  this  cheering 
voice  from  the  excellent  glory — God  is  a  just  God,  and 
A  Saviour! 

II.  The  Unity  of  the  Godhead. — The  true  God  can 
have  none  above  him,  or  independent  of  him.  And  there 
can  be  no  god  equal  to  him. — While  there  are  three  divine 
persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  there  is  only  one  essence,  one 
omnipotence,  one  will,  one  God. 

But,  suppose  there  were  two  Gods  of  equal  and  dis- 
tinct essence  ;  they  would  have  equal  power,  and  be  equally 
independent  of  each  other.  Yet,  this  being  the  case,  nei- 
ther of  them  could  create,  or  rule  without  the  full  consent 
of  the  other.  If  one  of  them  did  so,  it  would  bring  one 
Almighty  being  into  collision  with  another  Almighty  being. 
Since,  then,  neither  could  act  without  the  full  consent  of 
the  other,  it  follows  that  each  of  them  is  dependent  on 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  63 

the  other.  But  a  dependent  being  is  not  God.  Reason, 
then,  decides,  that  there  must  be  one  God,  or  no  God. 
But  reason  and  the*  existence  of  mind,  matter,  and  motion 
demonstrate  that  there  is  a  God.     Hence  there  is  only  one 

LIVING  AND   TRUE  GoD. 

The  Bible  sets  the  doctrine  of  God's  unity  in  the  clear- 
est light.  "  Hear,  0  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one 
Lord."  Deut.  vi.  4.  "  I  am  the  Lord,  your  Holy  One, 
the  Creator  of  Israel,  your  king."  Isa.  xliii.  15.  "  I  am  the 
first,  I  am  the  last;  and  besides  me  there  is  no  God."  "Is 
there  a  God  beside  me  1  Yea  there  is  no  God ;  I  know 
not  any."  Isa.  xliv.  6,  8.  "  There  are  gods  many,  and 
lords  many  ;  but  to  us  there  is  one  God."  1  Cor.  viii.  5. 

III.  The  Perfections  of  God. — Our  God  is  eternal. 
— In  his  divine  essence  God  is  infinite  ;  and  as  certainly 
as  he  is  infinite  in  essence,  so  is  he  eternal.  "  The  mode 
of  existence  always  follows  the  mode  of  essence.  Because 
existence  adds  nothing  to  essence,  but  actuality  :  neither 
is  it  indeed  distinct  from  essence.  Now,  duration  is  no- 
thing else  but  continued  existence.  Hence,  it  follows  that 
if  God's  essence  be  infinite,  his  existence  and  duration 
must  also  be  infinite."*     That  is,  God  is  eternal. 

Angels  and  men  are  eternal  by  the  will  of  God.  But  of 
HIM  only  is  it  said, — "  He  only  hath  immortality."  He 
only  has  an  eternity  without  succession  of  time.  He  only 
has  an  eternity  before  we  existed.  He  only  has  an 
eternity,  over  all  our  duration.  And  this  eternity  is  abso- 
lute and  necessary,  it  is  derived  from  none  :  it  is  dependent 
on  none.  "  Art  thou  not  from  everlasting,  0  Lord,  my 
God,  my  Holy  One?"     Hab.  i.  12. 

Our  God  is  infinite. — His  essence  we  cannot  com- 
*  Gale's  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  B.  ii.  4.  Sect.  3. 


64  OUR    GODj    THE    ONE, 

prehend.  It  has  no  bounds  of  time  or  space.  He  is 
without  limit  in  every  perfection.  God  is  infinite  :  no  one 
was  before  him  :  no  being  is  superior  to  him  :  no  being  is 
equal  to  him.  His  being  and  essence  are  as  far  superior  to 
the  being  and  essence  of  man,  as  infinity  is  to  what  is  finite. 
God  is  infinite  :  no  one  sphere  of  his  activity  is  limited  ; 
no  aid  of  any  cause  needs  he  in  acting.  Whatever  he 
wills  to  do,  that  he  can  do  ;  and  that  he  does  infallibly.* 

Our  God  is  unchangeable. — This  follows  necessarily 
from  the  fact  of  his  essence  being  infinite.  He  cannot 
change,  for  he  cannot  descend  from  the  infiniteness  of  his 
perfections.  He  will  not  change  ;  and  his  will  is  the  will 
of  omnipotence.  He  cannot  be  charged  by  any  agent,  or 
cause.  He  is  infinitely  over  all,  and  above  all.  "  If  he 
were  to  change,  it  must  be  to  what  is  infinitely  better ;  or 
to  what  is  infinitely  the  reverse."|  But  each  of  this  is  im- 
possible. 

There  are  two  impressive  evidences  of  this  set  before  us. 
The  1st  is  in  the  Holy  Bible.  "  I  am  Jehovah  ;  I  change 
not."  Mai.  iii.  6.  "  With  the  Father  of  lights  there  is  no 
variableness,  nor  shadow  of  turning."     James  i.  17. 

2d.  In  the  work  of  Redemption.  God's  immutability  is 
the  very  basis  on  which  rests  this  entire  plan  of  mercy  through 
Christ.  Had  the  throne  of  his  government  not  been  un- 
changeable ;  had  his  infinite  justice  and  holiness  admitted 
of  a  change  in  any  degree  in  his  law,  and  honour :  in  a 
word,  could  the  Holy  One  have  receded  from  the  high  claims 
of  infinite  purity,  justice,  and  law,  he  would  have  spared 
his  own  Son  ;  and  sacrificed  law,  and  justice.  But  he 
spared  not  his  own  Dear  Son.  Therefore  he  is  immutable 
in  every  perfection. 

And  he  who  is  immutably  just  to  his  own  law  and  go- 

*  Turretine.  t  Plato,  De  Republ. 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  65 

verument,  is  equally  just  to  Christ,  and  his  ransomed  peo- 
ple. He  who  would  not  permit  sin  to  go  unpunished, 
will  not  permit  one  to  perish  for  whom  Christ  did  bear  the 
full  punishment  of  sin.  Hence  he  will  infallibly  destroy 
the  works  of  the  devil,  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  death. 

Our  God  is  omnipresent,  and  immense. — The  first  of 
these  is  a  modification  of  the  last.  When  we  speak  of  his 
omnipresence,  we  mean  the  presence  of  his  essence,  his  per- 
fections, and  operations,  wherever  there  is  mind,  and  matter, 
and  motion.  He  is  in  all,  and  with  all,  and  over  all  beings 
and  things.  But  God's  essence  and  presence  are  not 
bounded  by  the  limits  of  creation.  He  is  equally  present 
where  no  creature  exists.  And  were  he  pleased  to  give 
birth  to  as  many  more  worlds,  and  as  many  more  creatures, 
he  would  be  equally  present  with  them,  as  with  us.  This 
we  call  God's  immensity. 

The  heathen  had  their  gods  of  the  hills,  and  their  gods  of 
the  vallies.     But  our  God  is  everywhere  present. 

"  Where  is  your  God  ?"  We  answer, — he  is  near  us  at 
all  times :  even  nearer  to  us  than  our  souls  are  to  our  bo- 
dies. He  is  in  the  assemblies  of  heaven's  vast  populations. 
He  is  present  with  the  doomed  in  the  regions  of  wo.  He 
is  in  the  busy  haunts  of  the  city  ;  and  in  the  retired  spots 
of  every  land.  His  presence  pervades  the  gulfs  of  ocean  ; 
and  the  most  dreary  solitudes  of  the  wilderness.  He  is 
present  with  every  particle  of  air  and  light,  ana  sand,  and 
dust,  and  water.  He  regulates  the  movements,  and  posi- 
tions of  each  of  these  ;  as  well  as  those  of  men,  and  angels, 
and  empires,  and  all  the  worlds  above  ! 

And  his  essence  is  not  spread  like  air  or  light,  over 
space.  He  is  a  perfect  God,  in  his  entire  essence,  in 
every  spot  at  once.  He  has  no  relation  to  space,  as  he 
has  no  relation  to  time.  "  Am  I  a  God  at  hand,  and  not  a 
God  afar  off*?     Can  any  hide  himself  in  secret  places,  that 


66  OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 

I  should  not  see  him?  saith  the  Lord.  Do  not  I  fill 
heaven,  and  earth,  saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  xxiii.  23.  "  Whither 
shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit ;  or  whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy 
presence  ?  If  1  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there  :  if 
I  make  my  bed  in  the  lowest  deeps  of  hades,  thou  art  there !" 
Ps.  cxxxix. 

Our  God  is  omniscient. — This  follows  from  his  per- 
vading all,  and  operating  by  his  perfections  in  all  space. 
He  must  necessarily  know  all  things.  Besides,  he  has  a 
perfect  and  most  exact  knowledge  of  his  own  infinite  being, 
mind,  and  will.  Hence,  he  must  have  an  exact  knowledge 
of  all  finite  things.  "  He  that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he  not 
hear  ?  He  that  formed  the  eye,  shall  he  not  see  ? — The 
Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  man."  Ps.  xciv.  9,  10.  "He 
telleth  the  number  of  the  stars  ;  he  calleth  them  all  by  their 
names."     Ps.  cxlvii.  4,  5. 

Our  God  has  infinite  wisdom. — This  attribute  con- 
sists in  his  perfect  comprehension  of  the  nature  of  all 
things  ;  the  relations  which  these  bear  to  each  other  :  their 
harmony  and  opposition :  their  fitness  and  unfitness  as 
means  to  produce  certain  effects.  It  is  displayed  through 
all  nature,  all  his  providence  ;  and  in  the  kingdom  of  grace. 
In  a  special  manner  is  it  glorified  in  selecting  Christ; 
appointing  him  to  be  mediator  ;  preparing  him  a  body,  and 
soul,  to  be  the  real  and  proper  matter  of  a  sacrifice.  Hence 
our  Lord  is  called  the  Wisdom  of  God. 

The  goodness  of  our  God. — The  divine  goodness  is 
that  perfection  of  God's  nature,  by  which  he  is  moved  to  do 
us  good.  It  is  the  cause  of  our  being,  and  our  preserva- 
tion ;  it  is  the  source  of  our  hopes,  and  the  foundation  of 
our  happiness.  For,  by  his  infinite  goodness,  was  his  om- 
nipotence moved  to  put  forth  its  glory  in  the  creation  of  all 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  67 

things  out  of  nothing.  Nothing  from  without  his  divine 
mind  could  move  the  Deity  to  bring  into  existence  all  ina- 
nimate nature,  and  all  the  unnumbered  classes  of  living 
beings  which  exist.  Neither  necessity,  nor  want  could  have 
moved  him.  The  self-existent  God  could  not  be  under  a 
necessity  from  any  thing.  And  since  he  has  all  perfection 
in  himself,  he  could  never  be  in  want  of  any  created  thing. 
This  display  of  power  could,  therefore,  proceed  only  from 
infinite  goodness  ;  of  which  it  is  a  glorious  effect  to  give 
being,  and  happiness  to  so  many  creatures. 

This  perfection  is  strikingly  exhibited  in  preserving  all 
creatures  and  things,  in  existence,  and  in  their  proper  spheres, 
and  movements.  Infinite  goodness  alone  moves  the  arm  of 
Omnipotence  in  exerting  itself  in  these  acts,  the  doing  of 
which  requires  the  same  almighty  power  which  brought  all 
things  into«existence. 

But  above  all,  is  divine  goodness  displayed  in  the  work 
of  redemption.  Here  it  puts  forth  itself  in  all  its  richest 
variety,  and  glory.  For  what  is  the  grace  of  God,  but  just 
the  freeness  of  the  divine  goodness  to  those  who  never  me- 
rited a  favour?  What  is  the  mercy  of  God,  but  just  the 
divine  goodness  to  those  who  are  in  misery.  What  is  the 
patience,  and  forbearance  of  God,  but  just  the  goodness  of 
God  toward  the  guilty  in  deferring  their  punishment,  to  give 
them  time  to  repent?  What  is  the  love  of  God,  but  just 
the  divine  goodness  pouring  out  the  tenderness  of  his  affec- 
tions on  us,  reclaiming  us,  and  sanctifying  us,  and  bringing 
us  all  home  to  his  glory  ? 

And  how  great  is  God's  goodness  !  We  may  perceive 
something  of  its  grandeur  in  its  outgoings  to  us.  By  it, 
our  Heavenly  Father  was  moved  to  stoop  from  his  throne 
to  pity  us.  By  it,  our  Blessed  Saviour  was  moved  to  leave 
the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  to  bend  his  mysterious  steps 
into  our  rebellious  world  ;  and  to  humble  himself,  and  be- 
come obedient  Uiito  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  that 


68  OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 

he  might  ransom  us  from  sin,  death,  and  hell.  By  it,  the 
Holy  Spirit  raised  us  to  the  adoption  of  God's  children,  and 
the  rich,  and  eternal  inheritance  of  heaven ! 

The  justice  of  our  God. — Viewed  absolutely,  it  is 
the  unbending  rectitude  of  his  nature,  by  which  all  the  acts 
of  his  divine  perfections  are  regulated  unceasingly.  View- 
ed relatively,  it  signifies  the  rectitude  of  all  the  divine  acts 
and  proceedings  toward  his  rational  creatures  ;  as  their  ru- 
ler, benefactor,  and  judge.  God's  justice  is  glorified  in  the 
following  ways  in  his  moral  government : — 

1st.  He  prescribes  to  man  his  laws,  just,  and  in  all  re- 
spects suited  to  us.  The  truth  of  this  is  evident.  God 
only  is  the  judge  of  their  justness  and  suitableness.  And 
he  has  actually  enjoined  them  on  us,  as  altogether  befitting 
his  own  honour  and  our  happiness. 

These  laws  are  of  tivo  classes. — They  are  either  moral, 
that  is,  just  and  right  in  the  nature  of  things.  For  instance, 
we  must  love  God,  and  obey  him :  we  must  not  kill,  nor 
steal.  Or,  they  are  positive  laws ;  that  is,  they  derive  their 
obligation  purely,  and  alone  from  the  will  of  God  enjoin- 
ing them.  For  instance,  we  must  keep  the  Sabbath  day 
holy  ;  we  must  celebrate  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

From  the  first  of  these  originate  our  moral  duties  ;  which 
are  binding  on  all  men  from  their  very  nature,  as  well  as 
the  will  of  God.  From  the  second,  originate  our  positive 
duties,  binding  on  us,  not  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  but 
simply  from  the  positive  will  of  our  God,  fixing  in  his  right- 
ful sovereignty,  a  test,  and  law  of  our  love  and  obedience. 
"  If  you  love  me,  keep  my  commandments."  "  Do  this  in 
remembrance  of  Me."  In  these,  we  have  a  divine  specimen 
of  both  of  these  laws. 

2d.  The  justice  of  our  God  sustains  these  laws  by  due 
rewards,  and  penalties.  These  are  essential  to  good  laws. 
Take  them  away,  and  the  law  dwindles  down  to  a  mere 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  69 

petition  and  request.  It  is  in  justice  to  himself,  as  well  as 
to  his  moral  subjects,  therefore,  that  God  enforces  his  laws 
by  these.  It  is  no  less  in  justice  to  God's  government,  and 
to  man,  that  the  rewards  promised  to  the  faithful,  should  be 
superior  to  all  possible  losses  and  pains  on  earth  ;  and  that 
the  punishment  of  disobedience,  should  be  greater  than  all 
possible  gains,  and  pleasures  which  man  can  promise  to 
himself  in  breaking  these  laws.  Hence,  when  the  law  is 
in  all  respects  good,  as  God's  law  is,  it  follows  that  the  good- 
ness and  justice  of  God  are  displayed,  just  in  proportion  to 
the  greatness  of  the  reward,  and  the  severity  of  the  penalty. 
For  if  the  rewards  and  penalty  were  inadequate,  there  would 
be  a  temptation  held  out  to  break  the  law.  Now,  God's  law 
being  infinitely  good,  the  reward  held  out  to  the  faithful  can- 
not be  too  great ;  nor  can  the  penalty  be  too  severe.  And, 
accordingly,  divine  justice  has  fixed  heaven,  and  its  eternal 
felicity  as  the  reward  by  his  grace  ;  and  the  eternal  and  in- 
tolerable miseries  of  hell,  as  the  penalty  of  unbelief,  and  fi- 
nal impenitence. 

3d.  God's  justice  is  exhibited  in  its  strict  and  impar- 
tial retribution.  It  bestows  the  reward  ;  and  it  inflicts  the 
tremendous  penalty,  according  to  the  letter  of  law,  and 
gospel.  God  cannot  promise,  and  declare  one  thing,  and 
do  another.  He  cannot  deny  himself.  The  promised  re- 
ward comes  as  certainly  as  he  maintains  the  infinite  recti- 
tude of  his  nature,  and  his  government ;  whether  that 
reward  comes  through  the  claims  of  holy  obedience  ;  as  in 
the  case  of  the  angels  of  heaven  :  or,  through  the  claims 
of  our  Redeemer's  merits  and  intercession,  to  the  believer, 
as  the  reward  of  grace. — And  the  penalty  must,  for  the  same 
reason,  be  inflicted  in  its  full  extent,  without  fail,  or  com- 
promise. It  must  fall,  for  God  hath  declared  it.  And  it 
so  fell  on  the  heads  of  the  fallen  angels,  in  its  immeasura- 
ble vengeance.  And  it  so  fell  on  the  head  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  voluntary  and  accepted  substitute  of  God's 

7 


70  OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 

Church.  And  never  was  there  such  another  exhibition  of 
divine  justice,  in  all  its  ineffable  loveliness,  and  all  its 
unbending  rectitude. 

The  oMNiroTENCB  of  our  God. — The  almighty  power 
of  God  is  always  set  prominently  out  in  the  pages  of  Re- 
velation. An  important  object  is  to  be  gained  by  this. 
The  leading  aim  of  Bible  truth  is  to  bring  man  to  the  true 
object  of  worship  ;  the  true  religion  ;  and  the  true  worship  ; 
idolatry  is  to  be  abolished  ;  and  wickedness  checked,  and 
destroyed  ;  and  the  redeemed  brought  home. 

Hence  the  only  true  God  must  be  The  Almighty  One. 
But  the  God  of  Adam,  and  of  the  Church  is  the  true  God  ; 
for  by  the  declarations  of  the  first  book  of  the  Bible,  he 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  And  he  is  set  forth  in 
his  glorious  majesty  in  a  most  instructive  contrast  with 
idols  : — the  dumb,  and  deaf,  and  blind,  and  impotent  gods 
of  the  nations.  And  all  are  required  to  worship  him  alone. 
— "  All  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  idols  :  but  Jehovah 
made  the  heavens.  Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto 
his  name  !  0  worship  him  in  the  beauty  of  holiness  ;  fear 
before  him,  all  the  earth."     Ps.  xcvi. 

And  to  quicken  our  adoration  of  the  only  true  God,  con- 
template the  vastness  of  his  power.  By  his  word  he  spake, 
and  it  was  done !  He  created  the  matter  of  all  worlds,  out 
of  nothing.  By  his  word  he  brought  this,  and  all  other 
worlds  into  being  and  beautiful  order,  out  of  the  chaos 
and  confusion  of  matter.  He  created  the  light  be- 
fore he  made  the  sun.  He  fixed  the  light  in  each  of  the 
great  suns  of  their  respective  systems.  He  formed  each 
star,  and  globe  ;  and  each  system  that  exists,  and  moves  in 
space,  around  his  throne.  He  gave  each  globe  its  place, 
and  orbit ;  he  gave  each  of  them  by  a  word,  their  vast 
rapidity  of  motion:  he  sustains  them  in  that  undimi- 
Dished  motion,  and  fixed  law  of  their  orbit,  from  age  to  age, 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  71 

without  a  visible  degree  of  variation.  "  He  has  stretched 
out  the  north  over  the  empty  place  ;  and  he  hangs  the  earth 
upon  nothing."  He  has  given  to  each  world  its  own  pe- 
culiar inhabitants.  He  has  formed  all  matter,  animate 
and  inanimate :  all  animals,  all  the  human,  and  the  angelic 
families.  He  keeps  up,  on  the  earth,  the  unvaried  succes- 
sion of  each  genus,  and  species,  of  living  thing.  '*  In  him 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being." 

Now,  let  us  see  how  nature  and  revelation  respond  mu- 
tually in  proclaiming  this  power  of  Almighty  God.  The 
globes  in  the  starry  regions  still  move  on,  as  they  have  done, 
for  ages  without  change,  or  confusion.  The  mighty  power 
of  God  is  there  put  forth.  The  ocean  still  heaves  his  terri- 
ble waves  ;  but  there  is  still  a  hand  that  fixes  their  bounds, 
and  stays  the  proud  waves.  "  God  touches  the  mountains  ; 
and  they  smoke."  Every  volcanic  mountain  raises  its 
smoking  summit,  and  from  age  to  age  mutters  in  its  terrific 
thunders  the  powers  of  a  present  God.  "  He  lifteth  up  his 
voice  to  the  clouds,  and  abundance  of  rain  covereth  man." 
Behold  the  unceasing  process  of  his  power.  The  waters 
cease  not  to  ascend  in  vapours  into  the  clouds  ;  and  return 
in  copious  showers  ;  or,  "  he  giveth  snow  like  wool  ;  and 
scattereth  the  hoar  frost  like  ashes."  '*'  He  sendeth  light- 
nings, that  they  may  go :  and  they  say  unto  Him, — here 
we  are  !"  We  see,  accordingly,  his  lightnings  playing  in 
the  clouds,  and  when  his  potent  arm  wields  the  gleaming 
thunderbolt, — "  we  see  where  he  stands  by  the  flash  of  his 
eye  !" — ''  He  removeth  the  mountains," — "  he  shaketh  the 
earth,  and  the  pillars  thereof  tremble!"  The  terrible  earth- 
quake fulfils  this  to  the  letter,  among  the  horror-stricken 
cities  of  the  east,  and  the  south.  "  All  flesh  is  as  grass  :"  "  All 
the  nations  are  before  him,  as  vanity, — as  less  than  nothing  !" 
What  was  the  Spanish  Armada  before  his  winds,  and  waves  ! 
What  was  the  mighty  host  of  the  Assyrian  king  before  his 
angel  moving  on  in  the  death-bearing  sirocco  of  the  desert ! 


72  OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 

What  were  the  proudly  equipt  hosts  of  Napoleon  before  his 
deadly  frosts  of  the  North  !  What  are  all  the  human  family 
before  his  Almighty  arm,  sweeping  them  away,  generation 
after  generation,  by  the  angel  of  Death  ! 

And  there  is  a  connecting  link  of  evidence  here,  which 
brings  these  things,  in  power,  and  assurance,  home  to  the 
heart.  While  we  look  at  nature  thus  responding  in  exact 
accordance  with  revelation, — God  makes  us  feel,  each  of  us, 
his  power,  in  our  own  personal  experience.  In  every  breath 
I  draw,  in  every  pulse  that  beats,  in  every  act  of  my  sen- 
ses, I  feel  a  present  God,  in  his  power.  My  members 
move  ;  my  faculties  are  kept  in  exercise !  God's  power  is 
here.  I  feel  a  new  spiritual  life  in  me.  I  am  a  new  crea- 
ture in  Christ  Jesus :  I  know,  believe,  love,  and  repent. 
That  God,  who  is  Almighty  in  nature,  is  my  Almighty 
Redeemer.  That  God,  who  exercises  such  vast  power  in 
nature,  puts  forth  the  same  power  with  his  love,  on  my  be- 
half, to  ransom  me,  to  protect  me,  to  guide  me,  and  to 
bring  me  home  to  glory.  "  Oh !  the  depth  of  the  riches 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  How  un- 
searchable are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out. — For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him  are  all 
things  ;  to  whom  be  glory,  for  ever  ;  Amen." 

ClUESTIONS. 

What  is  God  ? 

Is  the  God  of  nature  the  same  as  the  God  of  the  Bible  ? 
Prove  it. 

Can  God's  being  be  proved  from  nature's  works  ? 

Is  this  sufficient  ]     4.  What  do  the  Scriptures  say  1 

What  does  the  Bible  reveal,  which  nature  and  reason 
cannot? 

God  is  one  ?  prove  this  from  reason  and  Scripture. 

His  eternity,  what?  prove  it  in  the  same  manner. 

God  is  infinite  :  define  it ;  prove  it. 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  73 

His  immutability  :  define  it ;  two  evidences  of  it ;  what  ? 

His  omnipotence,  what?     His  immensity,  what? 

His  omniscience,  what  ?  Proof.  His  wisdom,  what  ? 
Proof 

His  goodness  :  define  it :  how  displayed  by  him  ? 

Name  the  varieties  in  which  his  goodness  shows  itself. 

His  justice  :  define  it :   its  three  displays,  what  ? 

His  omnipotence  ;  define  it :  give  specimens  of  it. 

0oes  the  voice  of  nature  respond  to  Revelation  on  this 
matter  ? 

The  proof  in  our  personal  experience,  what  ? 

How  feel  you,  my  dear  youth,  in  your  soul  and  heart,  in 
reference  to  the  proof  of  God's  being,  and  his  glorious  per- 
fections ?  Lovest  thou  God,  as  the  only  living  and  true 
God  ?  Lay,  now,  thy  hand  on  thy  heart,  and  say, — "  0 
God  !  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee." 

What !  darest  thou  live,  and  move  on  God's  earth,  and 
yet  art  thou  unprepared  to  put,  and  answer  this  question, — 
<'  O  Lord,  do  I  love  thee  with  all  my  soul  and  heart  ?" 

MEDITATION. 

Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul.  Thou  wast  not  abandoned 
of  God,  and  left  without  hope.  O,  had  this  been  my  lot 
under  him  who  is  "severe"  in  his  justice,  as  well  as 
"  good"  in  grace,  1  should,  on  account  of  my  guilt,  have 
been  like  the  heathen.  I  should,  like  them,  have  been  guilty 
of  neglecting  "  the  things  that  are  clearly  seen,"  and  "  under- 
stood" by  God's  glorious  works.  I  should,  like  them,  have 
been  without  excuse.  I  should,  like  them,  have  been  a 
worshipper  of  the  host  of  heaven  ;  or,  yielding  to  my  own 
passions,  I  should  have  been  an  adorer  of  the  ferocious 
idols  of  the  North  ;  or  of  the  licentious  idols  of  the  balmy 
climate  of  the  East  and  South. 

When  I  meditate  on  Almighty  God,  and  his  perfections, 
my  soul  is  overwhelmed,  and  melted  down  within  me.  He 
7* 


74  OUR   GOD,    THE    ONE, 

is  God,  the  great  and  terrible  God.  I  tremble  before  him. 
But  he  bids  me  draw  near.  He  proclaims  himself,  "  The 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious  ;  forgiving  ini- 
quity, transgression,  and  sin."  Oh!  he  is  my  God  in 
Christ ;  my  own  God,  and  Father.  My  soul  draws  near  to 
him.  I  revere  him.  I  adore  him.  I  love  him !  Whom 
have  I  in  the  heavens,  but  thee  ?  And  there  is  none  on 
the  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee.  Thou  art  the  strength 
of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever  ! 

Our  God  is  one.  Besides  him  there  is  not,  there  cannot 
be  any  other.  I  know  no  other.  I  own  no  other.  With 
him  there  is  no  rival  in  the  heavens,  or  on  the  earth.  Oh ! 
the  atheism  of  man  who  goeth  after  strange  gods  !  I  charge 
thee,  O  my  soul,  let  there  be  no  idol  within  thee  ;  none  on 
the  throne  of  thy  heart.  And  to  guard  against  mental  idola- 
try, and  the  idolatry  of  the  world,  let  my  soul  be  filled  and 
possessed  with  the  knowledge  of  God.  Let  him  be  wel- 
comed, and  received,  and  adored  in  my  heart.  Oh  !  for  a 
true  faith,  an  ardent  love,  a  profound  penitence,  holy  affec- 
tions, and  sanctified  desires  !  Then  shall  I  render  him  a 
pure  worship,  and  a  uniform  self-surrender,  and  a  truly 
Christian  obedience  in  life. 

ANOTHER  MEDITATION. 

I  meditate  on  the  Eternity  of  God.  My  soul  is  lost 
in  the  boundless  conception.  The  Eternal  God!  Oh! 
what  are  ye  all,  ye  creatures  of  time !  Oh  !  breadth,  and 
length,  and  height,  and  depth  of  God's  eternity !  He 
had  no  beginning.  He  had  no  cause  of  his  existence. 
None  were  before  him.  There  is  no  succession  of  time 
with  him ;  and  no  end  with  him  !  Infinite  duration  adds 
nothing  to  his  age.  The  subtraction  of  eternity  from  him 
would  make  him  no  younger !  Thou,  0  God,  alone  canst 
say, — I  AM  ! 

In  thy  august  presence  I  am  a  worm,  and  nothing.     I  am 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  76 

less  than  nothing  !  Yet,  O  my  soul,  glorify  God,  for  thou 
art  made  immortal !  Yes,  I  am  an  immortal  being.  Oh  ! 
delightful,  and  most  transporting  thought !  Thou  art  immor- 
tal !  Wonderful  glory  and  honour  !  The  decree  has  gone 
forth  ;  and  is  irrevocable.  I  shall  live  for  ever  !  Yes,  for 
ever  and  ever  !  Yes.  Oh  !  transporting  thought,  I  shall  live 
as  long  as  the  throne  of  the  eternal  God  shall  exist !  Think 
on  this,  0  my  soul,  and  renounce  the  world,  with  its  beg- 
garly honours,  and  pleasures  And  let  it  be  thy  great  con- 
cern to  be  ready  to  meet  thy  God  in  thy  eternal  home. 

ANOTHER  MEDITATION. 

I  meditate  on  God's  immutability.  Thou  little  world,  and 
all  ye  little  things  which  do,  nevertheless,  engross  the  sole 
attention  and  devotion  of  worldly  men  ;  all  ye  fast  fading 
objects  and  pleasures,  depart  from  me.  To  an  immortal 
spirit  nothing  changeable  can  be  glory  or  happiness.  The 
immutable  God  alone  is  my  portion. 

I  meditate  on  God's  omnipresence.  He  is  everywhere  ! 
He  is  always  with  me.  He  sees  my  most  secret  thoughts, 
and  actions.  Oh !  my  soul,  bear  this  in  thy  constant  re- 
membrance. Thou,  God,  seest  me  !  Watch,  O  my  soul, 
over  all  thy  thoughts,  over  all  thy  secret  desires,  affections, 
appetites,  and  all  thy  besetting  sins  !  Thou,  God,  seest  me ! 
And  shall  I  dare  sin  against  my  God  ?  Will  any  conside- 
ration, O  my  soul,  of  profit  or  pleasure,  move  thee  to  dare 
sin  against  thy  God  !  No,  no,  my  God.  I  am  thy  temple. 
O  take  possession  of  me,  and  walk  thou  in  thy  own  temple, 
in  the  joyful  triumphs  of  thy  grace  and  holiness  ! 

And  while  God's  goodness  ceases  not  to  heap  favours  on 
me ;  and  his  justice  secures  to  me  every  blessing  of  the 
everlasting  covenant ;  and  his  omnipotence  conquers  every 
enemy,  and  conducts  me  to  his  throne  of  glory, — cease  not, 
0  my  soul,  to  devote  thyself  to  thy  Heavenly  Father,  in 
life,  and  in  death.     Amen. 


76  OUR    GOD,    THE    ONE, 


A  PRAYER. 

Most  Holy  One  !  I  adore  thee,  the  only  true  God.  The 
gods  of  the  nations  are  idols.  But  thou  art  God,  for  thou 
hast  made  the  heavens   and  the  earth.     I   will  glorify  thee, 

0  Lord,  for  thou  hast  done  wonderful  works.  Thy  coun- 
sels of  old  are  faithfulness  and  truth.  Thou  art  our  God, 
we  have  waited  for  thee ;  we  will  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  thy 
salvation. — And,  grant,  I  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  that  while 

1  abhor  the  idols  of  the  heathen,  and  of  the  Man  of  Sin,  I 
may  be  delivered  from  all  idolatry,  and  superstition.  Drive 
away  from  my  soul,  and  heart  every  vanity  and  idol.  Cleanse 
me  from  all  spiritual  idol  worship.  And  reign  thou,  0  my 
Heavenly  Father,  without  a  rival  in  my  heart  unceasingly. 

Thou  art  the  Eternal  One  :  I  adore  thy  eternity,  and 
bless  thee  that  the  Eternal  One  is  my  Father  in  heaven. 
Prepare  me,  thy  poor  humble  servant,  for  thy  presence  and 
glory  in  the  everlasting  abodes  prepared  by  thy  love  for  us, 
in  eternity. 

Thou  art  the  unchangeable  One  :  and  I  adore  thee,  my 
faithful  covenant  keeping  God.  Grant  that  by  thy  grace,  I 
may  be  steadfast,  and  immoveable  in  my  devotions,  and  duty 
to  thee  :  ever  clinging  to  thee  amid  the  world's  evils,  and 
sorrows.  For  thou,  O  Lord,  wilt  never  leave  me,  nor  for- 
sake me,  for  ever. 

In  all  my  wants, — and  they  are  innumerable, — bring  me, 
O  Lord,  to  the  inexhaustible  fountain  of  thy  goodness. 
When  oppressed  with  sin,  help  me  to  fly  to  thy  grace.  When 
trembling  under  a  sense  of  my  unworthiness,  lead  me  to  the 
throne  of  mercy,  in  Christ.  When  driven  almost  to  de- 
spair, oh !  let  my  poor  soul  feel  a  reviving  sense  of  thy 
love,  and  patience,  and  forbearance.  When  bowed  down, 
and  crushed  to  the  dust,  under  a  terrible  conviction  of  my 
guilt,  0  my  God,  help  me  to  fly  to  the  cleansing  blood  of 
Jesus.     Clothe  me  in  his  righteousness,  then  shall  I  stand 


LIVING,    AND    TRUE    GOD.  77 

up  in  the  face  of  thy  justice ;  and  I  will  love  and  adore  its 
infinite  purity,  and  exact  requirements. — And,  my  gracious 
Father,  while,  by  thy  good  pleasure,  I  pursue  my  pilgrimage 
through  life,  let  thy  omnipotence  be  my  sure  defence.  Let 
thy  power  be  honoured  in  my  weakness,  while  I  overcome 
the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  And  seal  thou,  0  Lord, 
on  my  soul,  the  sweet  and  soothing  assurance,  that  thou 
wilt  receive  me,  at  last,  in  thy  love  and  power,  to  thy  man- 
sions ;  and  that  this  poor  clay  tabernacle,  which  will  rest  in 
hope,  with  the  clods  of  the  valley,  shall,  by  thy  omnipotence, 
be  raised  ;  and  summoned  to  join  thee  ;  and  to  receive  back 
its  long  absent  soul.  And  so,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  I 
shall  ever  be  with  thee.  Glory  for  ever  be  to  thee.  "  Our 
Father  who  art,"  &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


OF    OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

"  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are  one."  1  John  v.  7.  O  God, 
thou  art  my  God,  I  will  praise  thee  ! 

In  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  there  is  a  plurality  of  per- 
sons. This  is  a  doctrine  purely  of  revelation,  but  it  is 
not  contrary  to  reason ;  for  we  do  not  say  that  God  is  one 
and  three,  in  the  same  sense.  But  God  is  one  in  one 
sense,  and  he  is  three  in  another  sense ;  in  divine  essence 
God  is  one  :  in  tliis  one  essence  there  are  more  persons 
than  one. 

Thus,  I  can  say  without  violating  reason,  that  I  am  one 
in  one  sense,  and  three  in  another.  I  am  one  human  be- 
ing :  yet  in  me,  there  are  three  distinct  things,  namely,  a 
soul,  a  body,  and  a  spirit. 

And,  here,  let  me  remind  my  young  reader,  that  while 
God  requires  us  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  testimony  and 
evidence  of  divine  revelation  ;  we  must  never  entertain 
the  idea  of  sitting  in  judgment  on  God  himself,  his  being, 
or  the  doctrines  he  is  pleased  to  reveal.  Let  this  be  noted 
with  piety  and  care. 

The  question  of  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  being  settled,  by  that  most  perfect  evidence  which 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  79 

God  has  given  us,  the  only  question  that  remains  relative  to 
the  doctrines,  and  facts  of  the  Bible,  is  simply  this, — Is  the 
doctrine,  or  the  fact,  under  discussion,  set  forth  in  the  Bi- 
ble ?  If  it  be  shown  that  it  is  therein  contained,  then  it  is 
manifest  that  God  has  spoken  it.  And  we  must  receive  it 
by  faith,  and  yield  to  it  our  most  cordial  faith,  and  submission. 
It  may  be  a  profound  mystery,  or  it  may  be  a  simple  truth  : 
our  minds  may  be  weak ;  others  may  be  strong.  It  may  be 
dark  and  mysterious  ;  or  very  luminous.  These  enter  not 
into  its  credibility.  We  believe  simply  on  the  ground  of 
evidence.  This  is  the  basis  of  faith  in  the  physical  and 
moral,  as  well  as  spiritual  world.  Ten  thousand  things  in 
physics,  and  nature,  do  I  believe  ;  while  I  cannot  com- 
prehend them.  So  in  theology  ;  I  do  not  stop  to  inquire, 
does  my  feeble  reason  comprehend  this,  or  not  ?  This 
course  would  be  absolutely  irrational.  I  inquire  simply,  is 
this  doctrine  uttered  by  God?  Has  he  recorded  it  in  the 
Holy  Bible  ? 

First : — The  Scriptures  teach  us  distinctly  that  there  is  a 
plurality  of  persons  in  the  Godhead.  Elohim,  the  proper 
name  of  God,  is  in  the  plural ;  yet  is  it  used  with  a  singular 
verb  in  the  simple  language  of  holy  Writ.  I  fully  agree 
with  Dr.  Pye  Smith  that  no  sufficient  reason  has  ever  yet 
been  advanced  to  set  aside  the  force  of  the  argument  that 
this  word  Elohim  is  studiously  used  to  indicate  a  plurality 
of  persons  in  the  Godhead.  This  receives  strength  from  the 
consideration  that  the  Jews  were  set  apart  from  all  other 
nations,  as  the  worshippers  of  the  One  true  God.  On  the 
supposition  that  there  is  no  plurality  in  the  Godhead,  it  must 
be  admitted  that  the  use  of  a  plural  word  to  express  God 
can  "with  difficulty  be  defended  from  the  charge  of  perni- 
cious example,  and  very  dangerous  tendency." 

This  receives  additional  strength  from  the  Bible  use  of 
phrases  implying  plurality.     "  Come,  let  us  make  man  in 


80  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

OUR  image."  "  Behold  the  man,  he  "  was"  as  one  of  us."* 
"  Remember  thy  Creators  in  the  days  of  thy  youth."  "  Thy 
Makers  is  thy  husband." 

And,  finally,  these  divine  persons  are  named  :  "  I  and 
the  Father  are  One."  "There  are  three  that  bear  record  in 
heaven  ;  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 

these  three  are   One.|" See  Hoioe  Solitarice :   Owen ; 

Kidd  on  the  Trinity  :  Wardlaw  :  Stuart :  and  Hall. 

I.  The  Father  is  the  true  God. 

This  no  one  denies.  But  it  is  of  importance  to  attend 
carefully  to  the  proof  of  this.  1st.  Names,  and  titles  are  be- 
stowed on  him  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  never  apply  to  any 
created  being.  For  instance,  he  is  Jehovah  ;  the  One  who 
is,  and  who  was,  and  who  is  to  come  :  he  is  Jah  ;  the  I  am  ; 
the  Most  High  God.  2d.  He  is  uniformly  honoured  by  attri- 
butes never  bestowed  on  a  creature.  He  is  the  self-existent 
one  ;  infinite;  eternal ;  immutable  ;  and  Almighty  God.  3d. 
He  is  glorified  as  doing  the  works  which  no  created  power  can 
do.  He  is  Creator  of  all  :  the  Preserver  of  man  and  beast : 
sovereign  Ruler  over  all  in  heaven,  and  on  earth  :  the  God 
of  salvation  ;  the  Judge  of  all  men,  and  of  angels,  and 
devils.  4th.  He  is  the  object  of  supreme  and  exclusive  wor- 
ship by  all  in  heaven,  and  all  on  earth.  This  God  is  our 
God. 

II.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  and 
the  true  God. 

First.  He  is  the  Son   of  God,  and   Son  of  Man. — We 


♦  This  is  the  true  rendering  of  Genesis  iii.  22. 

t  Bisliop  Burgess,  in  two  volumes  on  this  text,  is  considered  by 
Bound  scholars  to  have  settled  the  authenticity  of  this  text.  He  pro- 
duces quotations  of  it  from  the  Greek  Fathers,  and  thus  meets  the 
challenge  of  Prof.  Porson. 


OUR    GODj THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  81 

must  bear  in  mind  that  our  Redeemer  is  presented  to  our 
faith  in  his  two  distinct  sonships.  He  is  the  Son  of  God  ; 
and  the  Son  of  Man.  These  two  we  must  never  confound  ; 
nor  mistake  in  their  distinctive  characters.  As  Son  of 
God,  he  sits  enthroned  in  his  natural,  unborrowed,  and  im- 
mutable divinity.  As  Son  of  Man,  he  stands  forth  in  his 
assumed  character.  As  Son  of  Man  and  mediator,  he  stands 
forward  in  his  official  character.  This  we  must  carefully 
distinguish  from  his  natural  and  immutable  character.  Had 
man  never  existed,  he  would  have  been  the  Son  of  God, 
as  much  as  the  first  person  is  the  Father,  or  the  third  is  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Had  men  never  been,  or  had  they  not  fallen, 
nor  needed  redemption,  he  never  would  have  been  the  Son 
of  Man. 

As  Son  of  Man,  he  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant. 
In  this  assumed  character  he  is  less  than  the  Father.  For, 
says  he,  "  The  Father  is  greater  than  I."  But  he  who  in 
his  wonderful  grace  and  mercy,  is  a  servant,  a  victim  and 
substitute  by  his  own  voluntary  act,  is  the  Eternal  Son  of 
God.  And,  as  such,  he  is  equal  in  power  and  glory  with 
the  Father.  For  he  expressly  says, — "  I  and  the  Fa- 
ther are  one."  "  And  whatsoever  things  the  Father  doeth, 
these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise."  "  As  the  Father  raiseth 
the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them  ;  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth 
whom  he  wilL^^  ''He  that  hath  seen  the  Father,  hath  seen 
the  Son ;  the  Father  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  is  in  the 
Father."     John  v.  19,  21,  xiv.  9.  10. 

Hence  he  did  not  become  the  Son  of  God  by  his  miracu- 
lous birth.  Look  at  the  testimony  of  the  word  ;  how  read- 
est  thou  ?  "  That  holy  thing,  the  Son  of  Mary,  was  called," 
and  ever  shall  be  called, — not  made  but  "  called  the  Son  of 
God."  For  he  who  took  this  human  sonship,  is  the  Son  of 
God,  and  he  was  called  in  heaven  from  all  eternity  the  Son 
of  God,  and  will  to  all  eternity  be  adored  as  Son  of 
God. 

8 


82  OUR    GODj THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

He  was  not  made  the  Son  of  God  by  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  Look  into  thy  Bible.  How  readestthoul 
"He  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  with  power." 
That  is,  he  was  by  the  irresistible  power  of  God's  own  demon- 
stration proved  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  unanswerable 
evidence  of  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  by  his  own 
power. 

He  is  the  Son  of  God,  not  as  Adam,  and  as  angels  were ; 
or  as  believers  are.  The  first  two  are  the  sons  of  God  by 
his  immediate  act  of  creation  ;  the  last,  by  adoption.  But 
Christ,  infinitely  diverse  from  them  all,  is  "  God's  own  pecu- 
liar Son :   God's  only  begotten  Son  :   God's  eternal  Son." 

The  nature  of  this  filiation  of  Christ  is,  of  course,  not 
comprehensible  by  finite  minds.  It  is  one  of  those  things 
in  the  world  of  mind  and  matter,  which  is  purely  the  sub- 
ject of  divine  revelation ;  and  is  received  on  the  ground 
of  divine  testimony  alone.  I  believe  it  simply  on  the  testi- 
mony of  Almighty  God.  Let  us  apply  our  minds  to  this  tes- 
timony. 

Psalm  ii.  7.  "  I  will  declare  the  decree."  But  allow  me 
to  translate  it  literally, — "I  will  declare  according  to  the  de- 
cree :  the  Lord  hath  said  to  me,  thou,  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee."  It  is  impossible  to  mistake  this. 
The  Father  plainly  declares  that  the  ground  on  which  Christ 
is  his  Son,  is  not  that  of  his  being  mediator  :  but  on  that  of 
his  being  begotten  by  him  from  "  the  day,"  which  with 
God,  with  whom  there  is  no  past  nor  future,  must  mean  the 
day  of  eternity  ;  that  is,  from  all  eternity. 

He  is  not  his  Son,  by  virtue  of  his  official  mission  into 
the  world.  He  was  the  Son  of  God  in  the  days  of  David. 
For  that  inspired  saint  exhorted  the  Jews  to  worship  the 
Son  of  God,  "lest  he  be  angry  with  them."  Ps.  ii.  12. 
Hence,  as  Son  of  God,  he  was  the  object  of  worship  ; 
and  was,  therefore,  equal  in  glory,  then,  with  the  Father, 
long  before  his  incarnation. 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  83 

It  is  also  very  evident  that  our  Lord's  eternal  filiation  is 
the  foundation  of  the  decree  declared  by  the  Son.  For,  un- 
less Christ  had  this  existence  as  God's  own  peculiar  Son, 
from  all  eternity,  he  could  not  have  been  set  up,  and  con- 
stituted our  Mediator  by  this  everlasting  decree,  in  which  he 
received  the  transfer  of  the  heathen  to  him,  as  his  inherit- 
ance. 

He  who  received  this  transfer  from  all  eternity,  must  have 
had  a  previous  existence  to  that  transfer.  But  two  things 
are  here  manifest.  As  Son  of  God  he  received  this  transfer 
of  the  heathen  to  him  for  his  inheritance  ;  and  this  transfer 
was  made  to  him  in  eternity.  Hence  he  is  the  Son  of 
God  from  all  eternity.  And  hence  he  was  Son  of  God 
previous  to  his  assuming  his  official  character,  as  Son  of 
Man,  and  as  Mediator. 

Prov.  viii.  24,  25.  "When  there  were  no  depths,  I  was 
brought  forth,"  &c.  He  of  whom  this  is  spoken,  is  the 
WISDOM  of  God,  who  performs  official  and  divine  acts. 
See  Prov.  ix.  and  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24.  He  is,  therefore,  a 
person,  possessing  divine  power,  and  honours  ;  and  is  the 
Son  of  God.  He  is  "set  up,"  and  is  "by  him  who  made 
all  things,"  as  "one  brought  up  with  him  ;  rejoicing  always 
before  him,  and  had  his  delights  with  the  sons  of  men." 
And  this  infinite  and  glorious  equal  of  the  Father,  was 
"  brought  forth,"  as  his  Son,  "  while  as  yet  God  had  not 
made  the  earth,"  nor  any  of  its  inhabitants.  It  is  manifest, 
then,  that  our  Lord  is  the  Son  of  God  by  eternal  filiation  ; 
and  not  by  any  official  relation. 

John  i.  14.  "  We  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father."  Let  us  carefully  mark  this 
exclusive  expression.  Christ  is  God's  "  only  begotten 
Son."  This  sets  him  apart  from  every  thing  created  and 
made.  His  sonship  stands  alone  unparalleled  by  anything 
in  the  world  of  created  things.  He  is  the  Father's  own 
proper  and  peculiar  Son ;  and  as  certainly  as  the  Father  is 


84  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

not  a  person  by  any  office,  or  creation,  so  neither  is  the 
Son,  his  Son,  by  any  office  and  creation.  If  the  Son  has 
merely  an  official,  and  assumed  sonship  :  then  must  the 
Eternal  Father  have  an  official  and  created  paternity.  He 
who  hold  this,  denies  the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  and  is  an  athe- 
ist. For  what,  I  pray  you,  is  the  real  difference  between 
him  who  denies  the  existence  of  the  true  God,  and  him  who 
denies  the  true  and  only  existence  of  God  ? 

Christ  is  God's  "only  begotten  Son."  He  cannot 
be  the  Son  of  God  by  creation,  therefore,  for  in  that  case, 
this  "only  begotten  Son"  would  have  a  sonship  in  common 
with  angels,  and  Adam. 

He  is  the  Son  of  God  not  by  adoption.  If  so,  then  this 
"  only  begotten  Son"  would  hold  his  sonship  in  common 
with  all  saints. 

He  is  the  Son  of  God  not  by  office,  and  call  to  the  medi- 
atorship.  If  he  were,  then  can  he  in  no  sense  be  the  "only 
begotten  Son."  For  if  a  call  to  an  office,  be  it  ever  so  high, 
or  ever  so  low,  do  make  a  person  the  Son  of  God,  then  are 
magistrates  the  "  only  sons  of  God  ;"  then  was  Aaron 
"the  only  begotten  son  of  God."  But  Christ  is  "the  only 
begotten  Son  ;"  he  has  no  equals,  no  rivals.  Hence  he  is 
the  Son  of  God  not  by  any  official  relation. 

There  is  another  point  which  I  must  not  omit.  If  Christ 
be  the  Son  of  God  by  any  created  relation,  then  he  could 
not  be  the  object  of  worship  as  the  Son  of  God.  No  official 
relation,  be  it  ever  so  high,  and  no  act  of  adoption,  can 
elevate  one  to  the  rank  of  divine  honours.  To  worship 
one  in  a  created  relationship ;  or  on  a  created  throne,  is  an 
act  of  positive  idolatry.  If  Christ,  then,  be  the  Son  of  God 
merely  by  official,  and  created  relation,  then  to  worship  him 
is  absolute  idolatry  on  our  part. 

But  our  Blessed  Lord  as  Son  of  God,  demands  and  re- 
ceives divine  honours  and  religious  worship.  No  one  point 
is  more  manifest  than  this.     We  are  to  "  honour  the  Sou 


OUR    GOD, THE    TR.IUNE    GOD.  85 

even  as  we  honour  the  Father."  "  When  God  bringeth  in 
the  first  begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith, — Let  all  the  an- 
gels of  God  worship  him."  "  And  unto  the  Son  he  saith, 
thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever." 

Hence,  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  in  that  sense,  and  in 
that  sense  alone,  in  which  he  is  God  the  Father's  equal,  in 
power,  and  glory. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  any  man  does  believe  that  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God  by  office,  or  adoption,  or  by  extraordinary 
birth,  or  by  his  resurrection,  then  is  Christ  not  the  object  of 
divine  homage  and  worship  to  that  person.  He  can  no 
more  worship  this  created  object  of  worship,  without  being 
an  idolator,  than  the  Papist  who  worships  his  new-made  god  ! 

Hence  if  we  give  up  the  eternal  filiation  of  Christ,  as 
God's  equal ;  and  admit  him  to  our  belief,  as  the  Son  of 
God  only  by  office,  then  must  we,  under  the  awful  penalty  of 
idolatry  and  damnation,  cease  to  adore  and  worship  him. 
Hence  we  must  surrender  his  Godhead  ;  and  all  trust,  and 
hope  in  him  as  our  God,  and  Redeemer.  For  no  created 
official  character,  who  is  not  the  Father's  equal,  can  save 
us.  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm ;  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord," 
Jer.  xvii.  5. 

We  are  reduced,  then,  to  this  awful  dilemma.  We  must 
either  surrender  Christ,  and  all  our  hopes ;  and  with  the 
eternal  Son,  surrender  the  Eternal  Father,  and  all  that  de- 
pends on  the  divinity  of  the  Father,  and  the  divinity  of  the 
Son  ;  or  we  must  admit  the  necessary  and  eternal  filiation 
of  the  Son  of  God.  That  is,  we  must  admit  the  eternal 
generation  of  Christ,  or  yield  up  the  Eternal  Father,  and 
the  doctrine  of  Trinity :  and  with  that,  yield  up  the  only 
object  of  divine  worship  in  the  Church. 

Second:  Christ  is  the  true  God. 

This,  my  dear  young   friends,  is  the  radical  doctrine  of 

8* 


86  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

the  gospel,  and  second  to  none  in  the  whole  field  of  divine 
revelation.  Take  away  this  doctrine  of  the  supreme  Deity 
of  our  Lord,  and  the  glory  is  departed !  If  our  Redeemer 
is  not  the  true  and  living  God,  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
the  Father  is  the  true  God,  then  is  every  Christian  a  gross 
idolator.  If  our  Redeemer  be  not  the  true  God,  then  is  there 
no  Saviour,  no  atonement,  no  throne  of  grace,  no  mercy, 
no  hope  for  us,  in  time  or  eternity! 

Now,  we  laid  down  an  outline  of  the  proof  of  the  Fa- 
ther's deity.  By  the  same  process  do  we  establish  tlie  fact 
of  our  Lord's  deity. 

I.  He  is  presented  to  our  faith,  and  divine  worship,  under 
those  names  which  are,  in  no  instance,  conferred  on  any 
creature.  He  is  God.  We  are  taught  by  the  spirit  of  in- 
spiration in  Heb.  ch.  i.  that  in  Psalm  xlv.  we  are  to  recognize 
the  deity  of  Christ.  "  Unto  the  Son  the  Father  saith,  thy 
throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  "  In  tlie  beginning 
was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God  ;  and  the  Word 
was  God." — Here,  you  cannot  but  perceive  how  distinctly 
the  spirit  o^  inspiration  sets  forth  his  eternal  sonship;  "the 
Word  was  ^uith  God ;"  and  at  the  same  time  his  supreme 
Deity  ; — "  The  Word  was  God."     John  i.  1. 

This  is  not  all.  The  Spirit,  foreseeing  that  the  enemy 
would  invest  him  with  a  created  godship,  or  with  the  com- 
plimentary title,  as  magistrates,  who  are  called  gods, — has 
taken  care  that  the  demonstration  be  complete,  that  he  is 
God  supreme.  In  Col.  i.  15,  speaking  of  him  who  is  "the 
image  of  the  invisible  God,"  as  the  Son  of  God ;  and 
"  the  first-born  of  every  creature"  as  Son  of  Man  ;  the  Spirit 
expressly  declai-es  that  Christ  created  all  things  in  heaven, 
and  in  earth." 

Jehovah,  the  incommunicable  name  of  Deity,  belongs 
to  him  of  right.  In  Isaiah  vi.  there  is  a  vision  of  the 
glory  of  Jehovah  of  Hosts  worshipped  by  angelic  hosts ; 
this   Jehovah   utters  his  message  to  the  prophet  :    verse 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  87 

10. — Now,  turn  to  John,  ch.  xii.  40,  41.  There  the 
apostle  quotes  the  message  of  Jehovah  to  Isaiah,  as  the 
message  of  Jesus,  and  adds, — ''  These  things,  said  Esaias, 
when  he  saw  his  glory,  and  spake  of  him." 

When  John  the  Baptist  came  and  prepared  the  way  of 
Christ,  it  was  testified  of  him  by  divine  inspiration,  that  he 
was  fulfilling  the  prediction  of  Isaiah  :  namely — "  The  voice 
of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness  ;  prepare  ye  the  way  of 
Jehovah."  Is.  xl.  3.  Luke  iii.  4.  Nothing  is  more  evident, 
then,  than  this,  that  the  ivay  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  way  of 
Jeaovah.     That  is,  Jesus  Christ  is  Jehovah  our  God. 

Let  me  direct  your  devout  attention  to  Isaiah  xlvii.  4  : 
"  As  for  our  Redeemer,  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  his  name." 
How  do  I  know  that  this  is  applicable  to  Christ  ?  Let  me 
translate  it  literally,  and  we  shall  see  the  force  of  the  de- 
monstration of  his  Deity.  "  As  for  our  Goel,  Jehovah  of 
Hosts  is  his  name.  Now,  the  Goel  was  the  near  kinsman^ 
who,  by  the  Hebrew  law  could  redeem  the  mortgaged  inhe- 
ritance. I  again,  then,  render  the  verse  still  more  literally 
this, — "  Our  Goel,  our  Redeemer  of  nearest  kin, — our 
kinsman  Redeemer,  is  Jehovah  of  Hosts."  To  be  our 
kinsman,  he  behoved  to  be  of  our  flesh  and  blood.  Hence 
he  is  called  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  1  Tim.  iii.  16. 

Under  this  head  I  arrange  a  class  of  proofs  of  great  force. 
I  offer  a  twofold  specimen  of  them.  1st: — Christ  w£LS 
made  under  the  law.  Now,  all  moral  creatures  are,  by 
virtue  of  their  creation,  under  God's  law.  But  here  is  an 
extraordinary  Being,  who  was  made,  that  is,  legally  consti' 
tuted  under  the  law  by  the  Judge  of  all.  Hence  he  is  not 
a  creature  :  hence  he  is  the  Creator,  God  over  all !  Again  : 
"  Christ  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant."  Phil.  ii.  7. 
Now,  every  created  being,  by  virtue  of  its  creation,  is  a 
servant  of  God.  But  here  is  a  Being,  who  by  his  own 
voluntary  act,  "  took   on  himself  the  form  of  a  servant." 


88  OUR    GOT), THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

Hence  he  is  no  creature  :  hence  he  is  the  Creator,  God 
over  all ! 

2nd  : — You  can  glean  a  number  of  fine  specimens  of 
this  form  of  proof,  on  the  pages  of  the  four  gospels.  How 
often  did  the  rays  of  divine  glory  break  through  the  vail  of 
his  humanity,  and  pour  their  heavenly  effulgence  on  the 
eyes  of  the  beholders.  The  humble  guest  at  Cana,  as  the 
Great  God,  turned  water  into  wine.  "  The  conscious  wa- 
ter saw  its  God,  and  blushed !"  The  man  of  sorrows  was 
asleep  in  the  ship  :  at  the  prayer  of  his  disciples  he  arose, 
and  as  God,  rebuked  the  winds  and  waves  into  a  calm  !  As 
the  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  he  was  expelled  by  the  un- 
grateful Gadarenes  from  their  coasts.  As  the  Great  God,  he 
expelled  the  evil  spirits  from  the  tormented  demoniacs  ! 
As  a  servant  under  the  law,  he  was  tempted  by  the  devil  in 
the  wilderness  :  as  the  Great  God  of  heaven  and  hell,  he 
cast  out  legions  of  devils  !  He  hungers  and  thirsts  as  a 
man,  and  begs  a  cup  of  water  from  the  Samaritan  :  as  the 
Great  God,  he  multiplied  the  bread  and  fish  to  feed  many 
thousands  !  As  the  Son  of  Man,  he  weeps  at  the  grave  of 
Lazarus  :  as  the  Lord  of  life  and  of  deathjhe  raises  him  from 
the  dead  by  his  own  unborrowed  power  !  As  the  man  of 
sorrows,  he  bears  all  the  ills  of  life  :  as  the  Great  God,  he 
utters  his  solemn  word  and  pardons  sin !  He  is  in  his 
last  agonies  on  his  cross  ;  as  the  Great  God,  he  utters 
the  word,  as  God  over  all,  and  receives  the  dying  peni- 
tent with  him  into  heaven  !  Behold  his  pitiable  remains 
in  the  grave :  behold  him  as  the  Great  God,  raising  himself 
from  the  dead.  "  I  have  power  to  lay  down  my  life,"  said 
he ;  "  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  up  again." 

H.  He  is  invested  with  all  the  attributes  of  Deity. 
He  is  Almighty  ;  Revel,  i.  8.  And  we  have  just  seen  that 
he  did  the  works  of  the  Almighty.  He  is  omnipresent : 
John  iii.  13.  As  man  he  was  on  earth,  as  God  he  filled 
heaven.     And  his  presence  in  the  church  is  guaranteed  by 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  89 

this  attribute  of  his.  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  in 
my  name,  there  I  am  in  the  midst  of  them."  Matt,  xviii.  20. 
"  Lo  !  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world." 
Had  he  been  a  creature,  he  would  not  have  used  this  phrase  : 
he  would  have  said,  "  I  will  be  with  you."  As  the  Great 
God  he  alone  can  say,  "  I  am  ;"  and  "  I  am  with  you  in  all 
tlie  world,  and  over  all  time." 

Our  Lord  knows  all  things.  This  follows  from  the  fact 
of  his  being  everywhere.  I  offer  only  one  text,  "  Jesus 
knew  all  men  ;  and  he  needed  not  that  any  should  testify 
of  man  ;  for  he  knew  what  was  in  man."  John  ii.  25. 

Our  Lord  is  the  Creator  of  all  things.  "  What  things 
soever  the  Father  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise." 
"  All  things  were  created  by  him,  the  Word  ;  and  without 
him,  was  not  any  thing  made."  John  i.  3.  Colos.  i.  16. 

He  exercises  supreme  power,  and  absolute  dominion. 
"All  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  given  unto  him." 
This  transfer  of  power  is  made  to  him  as  Mediator.  But, 
it  is  self-evident,  that  if  he  were  not  God  over  all,  as  the 
Son,  he  could  not  possess  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
A  created  God  is  as  absurd,  in  terms,  as  a  deified  creature  ! 

in.  He  will,  at  the  last  day,  raise  the  dead  of  all  ages,  by 
his  word.  John  v.  21.  1  Thess.  iv.  16.  And  he  will  judge 
the  quick  and  the  dead.  2  Cor.  v.  10.  Now,  God  only  has 
a  right  to  judge,  and  doom  the  subjects  of  his  moral  govern- 
ment. The  right  and  power  to  judge  all  men,  can  no 
more  be  transferred  to  a  creature,  than  can  the  ineffable 
perfections  and  glory  of  Deity! 

IV.  He  is  the  object  of  divine  worship,  and  is  adored 
with  supreme  homage,  by  every  true  Christian,  and  angel  in 
heaven.  The  latter  were  summoned  by  their  Creator  to 
lead  the  way,  and  set  the  example  to  man.  "When  He 
bringeth  his  first  begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith,  Let  all 
the  angels  of  God  worship  him."  Heb.  i.  6.  And,  surely 
nothing  can  be  more  manifest  than  this, — that  we  should 


90  OUR    GOD THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

honour  the  Father  with  supreme  divine  honour  and  worship. 
Well,  this  same  high  and  solemn  worship  must  we  render 
to  the  Son.  God  has  expressly  declared  this :  "  that  all 
men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Fa- 
ther." And  he  who  denies  this  divine  worship  to  the  Son, 
is  charged  with  the  damning  sin  of  not  rendering  it  to  the 
Father.     John  v.  21. 

In  a  word,  all  the  Church  adores  him  in  the  solemn  ordi- 
nance of  Baptism  ;  and  in  the  solemn  parting  blessing  at 
the  close  of  public  services.  And  all  angels  and  saints  in 
heaven  adore  him  unceasingly  there.     Revel,  ch.  v. 

III.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

How  the  Holy  Spirit  subsists  in  the  Most  Blessed  Trini- 
ty, as  a  distinct  person,  is,  like  the  existence  of  God,  and 
the  mysteries  of  his  nature,  utterly  incomprehensible.  Yet 
we  do  not  reject  the  faith  of  this,  or  his  existence,  because 
we  cannot  understand  it.  I  can  never  sufficiently  impress 
on  the  young  mind,  the  maxim,  that  we  believe  on  the 
ground  of  testimony,  in  all  branches  of  natural,  moral,  and 
religious  knowledge. 

The  Holy  Ghost  "  proceeds"  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  Here  is  the  evidence  :  "the  Spirit  of  truth  proceed- 
eth  from  the  Father."  And  he  is  also  "the  Spirit  of  the 
Son."  Hence  we  conclude  with  all  the  orthodox,  that  he 
proceeds  from  the  Son  also. 

Now,  as  the  filiation  of  the  Sou  does  not  imply  a  re- 
ceiving of  the  divine  essence  from  the  Father ;  for  the  di- 
vine essence,  and  the  unity  of  Deity  could  not  be  conveyed. 
It  is  held  in  common  by  each  person.  So  the  procession 
of  the  Spirit  does  not  imply  the  conveying  of  the  divine 
essence,  inasmuch  as  it  is  held  in  common  by  each  of 
the  Divine  Three.  These  phrases,  therefore,  indicate 
the  nature,  and  reality  of  their  'personal  relation  to  the  Fa- 


OUR    GOD THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  91 

ther,  and  to  each  other;  When  God  deigns  to  speak  to  us 
of  Himself,  he  uses  human  language,  in  compassion  to  our 
feeble  intellects.  Did  he  speak  of  himself,  as  he  speaks  in 
heaven  to  the  perfect,  we  could  not  comprehend  his  re- 
vealings.  But,  no  one  can  suppose  that  these  words, 
which  he  employs  in  their  new  application  to  him,  are  to  be 
taken  in  their  vulgar  application.  When  applied  to  God, 
we  must  attach  a  loftiness,  and  a  holy  mystery  of  idea  to 
them,  befitting  him  of  whom  they  are  uttered. 

The  Holy  Ghost  is  a  distinct  and  divine  person,  not  a 
virtue,  or  attribute  merely.  Thus,  as  a  person,  he  has  a  dis- 
tinct understanding  and  mind.  "He  searcheth  all  things, 
yea,  the  deep  things  of  God."  "The things  of  God  know- 
eth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God."     1  Cor.  ii.  10,  11. 

He  has,  as  a  person,  a  sovereign  and  infinite  will  also. 
"  All  these  worketh  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  unto  each 
man  severally  as  He  will.     1  Cor.  xii.  11. 

As  a  distinct  person,  he  is  sent  down  from  heaven  ;  and 
he  comes  as  the  Comforter.  His  mighty  acts  are  those  of 
a  distinct  divine  person.  He  creates  us  anew  in  Christ : 
he  gives  us  the  new  heart  :  he  abides  with  us  for  ever.  He 
issues  forth  his  sovereign  and  divine  commands  in  the 
Church.  Here  is  an  instance: — "As  the  apostles  minis- 
tered to  the  Lord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy  Ghost  said, — Sepa- 
rate me  Barnabas,  and  Saul  for  the  work,  whereunto  I  have 
called  them."     Acts  xiii.  2. 

This  distinct  and  divine  person  is  the  true  God. 

The  proof  of  this  is  precisely  of  the  same  form  with  that 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Sou. 

I.  He  is  presented  to  our  faith  by  the  names,  titles,  and 
attributes  which  belong  to  God  incommunicably.  For  in- 
stance, He  is  Jehovah  as  well  as  the  Son.  Thus,  in  Isaiah 
vi.  8 — 10,  the  prophet  says, — "I  heard  the  voice  of  Jehovah, 
saying,  whom  shall  I  send  ?"  In  the  Acts,  ch.  xxviii.  25, 
the  inspired  writer  quotes   this   message  from  Isaiah,  and 


92  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

thus  ushers  it  in, — "  Well  spake  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the 
prophet  Isaiali."  Therefore  the  Holy  Spirit  is  Jehovah. — 
I  offer  another  specimen.  In  Exodus  xvii.  7,  it  is  declared 
that  the  children  of  Israel  tempted  Jehovah  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Turn  now  to  Heb.  iii.  7,  9,  and  you  find  these 
words  : — "  As  the  Holy  Ghost  saith,  to-day,  if  ye  will 
hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts,  as  in  the  day  of  temp- 
tation, when  your  fathers  tempted  me,  and  proved  me." 

He  is  God.  "Ye  are  the  temples  of  God,  and  the  Spirit 
of  God  dwelleth  in  you."  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  And  there  is  a 
notable  testimony  in  Acts  V.  3,4.  "To  lie  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  is  "  to  lie  to  God." 

II.  He  possesses  the  incommunicable  attributes  of  the 
Deity.  He  is  "The  Eternal  Spirit :"  and  as  Jehovah,  he 
is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting.  "  He  is  everywhere,  at 
all  times."  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,  whither 
shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence?"     Psalm  cxxxix. 

He  is  the  Almighty,  and  the  Creator  of  all  things.  "  The 
Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me  ;  the  breath  (Spirit)  of  the 
Almighty  hath  given  me  Life."  "By  His  Spirit,  He  gar- 
nished," that  is,  decked  out,  and  perfected  the  beauty  of  "  the 
heavens."  Job  xxvi.  13.  "All  the  host  of  heaven  were 
made  by  the  breath," — the  Ruach,  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth. 
He  is  the  God  of  providence,  who  revives  nature  after  the 
dreary  death  of  winter.  "  Thou  sendest  forth  thy  Spirit, 
they  are  created  ;  and  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the  earth." 
Psalm  civ.  30.  He  is  the  sovereign  author  of  spiritual 
life,  which  is  the  supreme  glory  of  man.  "  The  Spirit 
quickeneth."  We  are  "  created  by  him"  in  knowledge, 
righteousness,  and  true  holiness.  To  him  are  we  indebted 
for  the  books  of  inspiration,  which  lead  us  into  all  truth. 
"  Holy  men  of  God,  spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost." — And  as  he  raised  up  our  Lord  Jesus  from  the 
dead,  so  he  will  quicken,  and  raise  us  from  the  grave  at  the 
last  day.     Rom.  viii.  11.     And  thus  the  same  divine  works 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  93 

are  ascribed  equally  to  Him,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Fa- 
ther. 

III.  He  has  been,  in  all  ages,  the  object  of  supreme 
worship  and  adoration.  We  yield  him  this  homage,  as  a 
Church.  In  baptism  his  divine  honour  is  celebrated  by  us. 
And  we  close  our  public  solemnities  by  a  most  solemn  act 
of  worship  to  Him,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Father. 

IV.  In  his  official  displays  of  mercy,  in  beginning  and 
finishing  the  new  creation,  there  is  a  sin,  which  may  be, 
and  still  is,  committed  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  has 
no  pardon  in  this  world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come.  This 
is  a  wilful  and  malicious  rejection  of  him,  and  his  official 
operations.  It  never  can  be  committed  by  mistake,  or  sur- 
prise. It  is  a  wilful,  deliberate,  and  malicious  rebellion 
against  Him.  Now,  can  any  rational  being  doubt  the  su- 
preme Deity  of  this  most  Holy  and  most  August  One,  the 
Holy  Ghost,  against  whom  such  a  sin  may  be  committed ! 

aUESTIONS. 

How  many  persons  are  there  in  the  Godhead  ? 

Is  God  one  and  three  in  the  same  sense?  No,  How 
then? 

Is  the  doctrine  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  purely  of  di- 
vine revelation? 

Are  we  allowed  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  evidence  of 
the  Bible  ? 

Can  we,  in  like  manner,  sit  in  judgment  on  the  doctrines, 
mind,  and  will  of  Almighty  God  ? 

With  what  spirit,  and  disposition  of  mind  should  we  re- 
ceive God's  doctrines  ? 

What  is  the  basis  and  ground  of  our  faith  ? 

Is  it  the  act  of  a  rational  being,  to  reject  a  well-certified 
doctrine,  because  it  is  a  mystery  beyond  human  comprehen- 
sion ? 


9 


94  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

Does  not  this  position  hold  good  in  the  laws  of  nature, 
and  all  sciences,  as  well  as  in  Bible  doctrines  ? 

Do  the  Scriptures  teach  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  God- 
head? 

Give  the  first  proof.  Another.  Name  the  divine  per- 
sons. 

The  Supreme  Deity  of  the  Father. 

What  is  said  of  the  supreme  Deity  of  the  Father? 
Give  the  leading  proof  of  this  essential  doctrine. 

The  Sonships  of  Christ. 

What  are  the  different  sonships  of  our  Lord  ? 

What  say  you  of  his  eternal  sonship? 

What,  of  his  human  sonship  ? 

As  Son  of  God,  is  he  not  equal  in  power,  and  glory  with 
the  Father  ? 

In  what  character  is  he  the  Father's  servant,  and  less  than 
the  Father  1 

Did  he  become  the  Son  of  God  by  his  miraculous  birth  ? 

Did  he  become  the  Son  of  God  by  his  resurrection  ? 

Is  he  the  Son  of  God  in  the  same  sense  as  Adam,  and 
angels  are? 

Can  any  created  intellect  comprehend  the  mode  of  Christ's 
filiation  ? 

Give  the  proof  of  Christ's  eternal  sonship,  as  explained. 

The  next  proof  of  it.     The  next. 

Can  any  being  be  elevated  by  office  to  be  the  object  of 
divine  worship  ? 

If  Christ  be  the  Son  of  God  by  official  relation,  could  he 
be  the  object  of  divine  worship  as  Son  of  God  ? 

Does  not  our  Lord  demand  divine  worship,  and  accept  it 
OS  the  S'^on  of  God  ? 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  95 

If  you  believe  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God  by  virtue  of 
an  office,  can  you  without  sin,  worship  him  as  the  Son  of 
God? 

What  say  you  of  those  who  believe  him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  officially,  and  yet  do  profess  to  worship  him  ? 

What  is  the  dilemma  to  which  those  are  reduced  here  1 

The  Supreme  Deity  of  Christ. 

What  is  the  next  great  and  radical  doctrine  of  the  gospel  ? 

Is  our  Lord's  Deity  proved  in  the  same  manner  as  that 
of  the  Father  ? 

Recite  the  I.  argument  in  proof  of  Christ's  Deity. 

What  are  the  names  indicating  our  Lord's  supreme 
Deity? 

Creatures  are  called  gods,  how  do  you  distinguish  our 
Lord's  supreme  Deity  by  this  name  ? 

What  is  the  next  divine  name  of  Christ  ?     Specimens. 

There  are  two  peculiar  classes  of  proof  under  this  head  : 
what  is  the ^rsi?     Give  specimens. 

What  is  the  second  ?     Give  specimens. 

The  11.  argument  for  our  Lord's  Deity  ? 

Specify  his  attributes  :  the  first:  the  second  :  the  third: 
the  fourth  :   the  fifth. 

The  III.  argument :  will  he  raise  all  the  dead,  and  judge 
them  at  the  last  day? 

The  IV.  and  last:  the  grand  evidence  of  Christ's  Deity? 

Give  other  specimens  of  this  divine  homage. 

The  Supreme  Deity  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Can  we  comprehend  the  mode  of  the  Spirit's  subsistence? 
Is  it  reasonable  to  disbelieve,  because  we  cannot  compre- 
hend it  ? 


96  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

What  relation  does  the  Holy  Spirit  bear  to  the  Father  and 
the  Son?     Quote  the  Bible  evidence  of  this. 

Is  not  this  relation  different  from  Christ's  filiation  1 
How  prove  you  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  distinct  person  ? 
Do  the  same  proofs  also  show  that  he  is  a  divine  person  1 
How  prove  you  the  supreme  Deity  of  the  Holy  Spirit? 
His  names  ?     Is  he  Jehovah  ?     Is  he  called  God  ? 
His  attributes  ?     Name  them  :  the  proof? 
Has  he  not  been  the  object  of  supreme  worship? 
Is  there  any  peculiar,  and  awful  sin  against  Him  ? 

A  MEDITATION. 

I  behold  thee,  0  Triune  God,  in  thy  manifold  works.  I 
look  up  to  the  Trinity  not  as  abstract  beings,  nor  removed 
far  above  caring  for  his  own  worlds,  and  their  government. 
I  discern  thee,  0  Triune  God,  in  thy  ceaseless  agency  ; 
and  I  adore  thee  in  the  bright  uncreated  glory  of  thy  active 
and  sovereign  attributes.  Of  thee,  and  through  thee, 
and  to  thee  are  all  things  ;  whether  they  be  of  creation,  of 
providence,  or  of  redemption. 

I  look  forth  on  thy  fair  and  stupendous  creation.  All 
these  things  are  of  Thee,  Eternal  Father.  All  nature,  ani- 
mate and  inanimate,  rational  and  irrational,  temporal  and 
immortal, — all  are  op  Thee.  Thou  art  the  fountain  and 
origin  of  the  works  of  the  most  adorable  Trinity,  and  thou 
didst  plan  them  all,  in  thy  wisdom. 

To  Thee,  Eternal  Son,  belongs  equally  the  glory  of  cre- 
ating all  these  ;  for  Thou  art  equal  in  power,  and  of  one 
essence,  and  of  one  will,  with  the  Father  and  Spirit.  All 
things  were  made  by  Thee,  and  without  Thee  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  is  made. 

Also  of  Thee,  Eternal  Spirit,  are  all  things  in  the  na- 
tural world.  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me  ;  the  Spirit 
of  the  Almighty  has  given  me  life.  To  Thee  belongs  the 
glory  of  perfecting,  and  beautifying  the  works  of  the  Tri- 


OUR   GOD THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  97 

nity.     Thou  movedst  on  the  face  of  the  chaos.     Thou  hast 
garnished,  and  decked  the  heavens. 

This  distinct  work  of  each  person  is  yet  one  and  in- 
separable, as  are  the  will  and  omnipotence  of  the  Triune 
God.  Each  operated  instantaneously.  The  Father  de- 
vising and  creating  ;  the  Son  creating  and  establishing;  the 
Holy  Spirit  creating  and  adorning  all  things.  And  I  ren- 
der equal  and  undivided  glory  to  each  of  the  divine  three  ! 

Of  Thee,  0  Triune  God,  are  all  things  in  the  maguiii- 
cent  work  of  redemption.  When  I  contemplate  this  as  an 
internal  act  of  Trinity,  I  view  it  with  deep  veneration  as 
a  mutual  and  instantaneous  agreement  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  view  it  also  as  an  external  act. 
And  here,  I  recognize,  with  gratitude  and  wonder,  the  inter- 
vention of  each  of  the  persons,  displaying  the  riches  of 
the  glory  of  divine  grace. — The  love  of  God  in  the  person 
of  the  Father,  I  adore  as  the  originating  cause  of  our  sal- 
vation. To  Him,  with  the  consenting  love  of  the  Son 
and  the  Spirit,  do  I  ascribe  the  device  of  the  stupendous 
plan.  The  grace  of  the  Eternal  Son,  I  adore  as  the  meri- 
torious cause  of  our  salvation.  He  gave  himself  in  the 
council  of  peace,  as  our  mediator  :  and  in  due  time  he 
presented  himself  on  this  earth,  to  satisfy  the  claims  of  law 
and  justice.  And  to  the  love  and  sanctifying  grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  as  the  efficient  cause,  are  we  indebted  for  the 
effectual  application  of  Christ's  grace  to  our  souls,  in  finish- 
ing and  beautifying  the  new  creation. 

Throngh  Thee,  O  Triune  God,  are  all  things  in  divine 
providence,  and  grace.  Each  of  the  most  holy  Three  works 
in  his  own  glorious  way  for  man's  good,  and  the  divine 
glory.  We  cannot  originate,  or  execute  any  of  the  won- 
derful works  of  Providence.  No :  He  works,  and  none 
can  let.  Kingdoms,  and  churches,  and  states  rise,  and  flour- 
ish and  fade  away.  God  rules  over  all  by  his  Son  ;  through 
the  all-pervading  influences  of  the  Spirit. 

9* 


98  OUR    GOD THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

And  TO  Thee,  0  Triune  God,  are  all  things.  Whatever 
is  OF  Thee,  and  through  Thee,  must  infallibly  tend  to 
the  best  end.  And  next  to  thy  being,  the  bright  display  of 
thy  perfections  over  the  field  of  creation,  is  the  most  im- 
portant. This  is  thy  glory  ;  which  is  just  the  bright  shining 
forth  of  thy  divine  excellence.  "  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  wor- 
thy to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  for  thou  hast  created  all 
things  ;  and  for  thy  pleasure,  they  are,  and  were  created." 

And,  above  all,  is  thy  glory  manifested  in  the  new  cre- 
ation. Never  was  there  such  another  display  of  all  the 
divine  perfections,  as  that  given  by  the  Triune  God,  in  the 
consummation  of  our  redemption.  Behold,  0  my  soul, 
and  wonder  and  adore.  I  behold  the  stern,  yet  most  holy  de- 
mands of  divine  justice  :  the  tremendous,  yet  most  just 
inflictions  of  punishment  for  sin,  on  the  Just  One,  dying  for 
the  unjust ;  and  all  this  is  in  harmony  with  mercy,  and 
love !  Truth  met  with  mercy ;  righteousness  and  peace  em- 
braced each  other  !  To  Thee,  0  Triune  God,  belong  the 
victory ;  and  the  majesty  ;  and  the  glory  ;  for  ever.     Amen. 

A  PRAYER  TO  THE  FATHER. 

My  Father  in  heaven,  I  adore  thee,  the  origin  of  all  the 
councils,  and  works  of  Trinity.  Nothing  from  without 
moved  thy  divine  mind  in  thy  decrees,  and  stupendous 
works  ;  for  thou  art  God.  0  the  depth  of  the  riches  of  thy 
goodness !  From  thee,  0  Father,  I  received  this  soul,  and 
body.  Thy  parental  care  has  kept  me  alive  ;  and  these  fa- 
culties, in  their  active  exercise.  To  thy  grace  I  owe  the 
life,  and  salvation  of  my  soul ;  and  the  pledged  boon  of  the 
emancipation  of  my  body  from  the  grave  in  due  time.  0, 
then,  accept  thine  own.  Accept  the  pledged  vow,  and  ser- 
vice of  this  soul,  and  this  body.  And  let  me  have  a  sweet 
assurance  sealed  on  my  heart  that  I  am  thy  child.  When 
prostrate  in  the  dust,  didst  thou  raise  me  up  :  and  justify  me 
by  thy  parental  sentence,  as  I  stood  before  thee,  0  my  Father, 


OUR    GOD THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  99 

covered  in  my  Redeemer's  righteousness  ?  Was  I  not  par- 
doned the  guilt  of  my  sin,  and  accepted  in  the  Beloved  ? 
Was  I  not  reconciled  to  thee  by  the  slaying  of  the  enmity  of 
my  heart  ?  But  for  this  I  could  never  have  enjoyed  peace 
of  mind.  And,  blessed  be  thy  name,  thy  patience  and 
boundless  grace  allow  me  to  call  thee  my  Father  and  my 
God  !  And,  now  will  I  praise  thee  for  ever,  and  ever ! 
When  I  am  poor  and  sorrowful,  I  will  think  of  thee  ;  and 
pant  after  the  riches  of  thy  grace.  When  forsaken  of  the 
world ;  I  will  think  of  thee,  who  wilt  never  forsake  me. 
When  my  father  and  mother  leave  me,  thou,  0  heavenly 
Father,  wilt  take  me  up.  When  sick,  and  languishing,  I 
will  lift  my  soul  to  thee,  the  refreshing  fountain  of  life. 
Thou  healest  my  diseases,  and  stillest  the  throbbings  of  my 
heart.  When  called  to  arduous  duties,  I  will  fly  to  him  in 
whom  it  pleased  thee,  0  Father,  that  all  fulness  should 
dwell.  When  labouring  under  sore  bereavements,  to  thee 
will  I  betake  myself  in  the  assured  hope  of  the  rich  inherit- 
ance of  thy  love.  When  leaving  this  world,  I  will  cherish 
the  pleasing  satisfaction,  in  the  aiidst  of  my  mortal  sor- 
rows, that  thou,  my  heavenly  Father,  arrangest  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  my  dying  bed ;  and  singlest  out  the  mes- 
senger ;  and  determinest  the  place,  and  time,  and  manner 
of  my  death!  And  when  the  last,  and  parting  hour  comes, 
I  will  breathe  out  my  soul  into  thy  hands,  my  dear  and 
heavenly  Father :  and  soothed  to  rest  by  thy  love,  I  shall 
fall  gently  asleep  on  thy  bosom.  My  disembodied  spirit 
will  spring  up  in  the  strong  powers  of  life  everlasting,  and 
receive  thy  parental  welcome  in  the  fulness  of  glory.  My 
poor  body,  the  while,  shall  sleep  in  dust.  But  it  will  rest  in 
the  keeping  of  thy  power,  and  unchangeable  love,  awaiting 
the  joyful  dawn  of  the  resurrection  day  ! 

Now,  0  my  Father,  accept  these  my  humble  vows,  and 
poor  broken  supplications  :  and  mercifully  deign  to  add  ano- 
ther fresh  favour  to  thy  blessings  already  bestowed,  by  ac- 


100  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

cepting  my  unworthy  person,  and  services.  For  all  I  ask 
is  only  for  the  sake  of  thy  dear  Son,  my  blessed  Redeem- 
er, in  whose  name  I  pray,  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven, 
&c.     Amen. 

A  MEDITATION,  AND  PRAYER  TO  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 

Eternal  Son  of  God !  I  will  adore  thee,  with  my  whole 
heart,  for  ever.  By  thy  power,  and  goodness  I  received 
this  existence.  By  thee  was  I  made  capable  of  religion, 
and  am  destined  to  immortality. 

But,  0  my  God,  what  were  life,  without  thy  mercy  and 
love  1  What  were  my  existence,  without  thy  saving  grace  ? 
Without  thy  grace  and  love,  my  immortality  would  prove 
an  ever-enduring  curse.  O  Son  of  God,  my  Redeemer, 
thy  sovereign  grace  moved  thee  to  pity  me,  from  eternity. 
Thou  sawest  me  cast  out,  and  perishing  in  my  blood.  Thoil 
deignedst  from  thy  throne  to  notice  me,  to  pity,  and  redeem 
me.  I  love  to  repeat  the  language  of  thy  love,  O  eternal 
Son  of  God,  in  the  everlasting  councils  of  peace, — "Lo! 
I  come ;  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  Father." — For  this 
coming  thou  preparedst  the  world  by  thy  providence,  and 
the  church,  by  the  Mosaic  dispensation.  The  eyes  of  the 
world  were  on  thee,  the  desire  of  all  nations  !  At  the 
time  appointed  for  fulfilling,  thou  didst  come.  0  height, 
and  depth  ;  length,  and  breadth,  of  the  love  of  the  Son  of 
God.  He  took  our  nature  upon  him.  He  became  the 
Son  of  Man.  The  immortal  became  mortal,  without  a 
change  in  his  divine  person.  The  Father  of  eternity  be- 
came a  child  born,  without  change  in  his  divinity.  The 
King  of  Glory  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant !  Be  as- 
tonished, 0  my  soul,  and  wonder,  and  adore  !  Son  of 
Man  !  and  Son  of  God  I  I  throw  myself  at  thy  feet.  0 
thou  Son  of  Man  !  I  love  thee,  and  cleave  to  thee,  as  my 
pattern,  and  example  of  holiness,  and  perfection.  0  Son  of 
Man,  thou  wast  the  true  and  proper  materiel  of  the  sacri- 


OUR    GOD,    THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  101 

fice  ;  and  the  glorious  instrument  by  which  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  finished  transgressions,  and  made  an  end  of  sin. 
Accept,  then,  dear  and  eternal  Son  of  God,  the  divine 
homage  of  my  heart,  ever  due  to  Thee  for  all  that  thou  hast 
done  for  me  as  my  Redeemer.  With  wonder,  amazement, 
and  adoration,  I  follow  thee,  0  Lord,  in  thy  career  of  mer- 
cy, and  condescension,  over  the  field  of  thy  humiliation. 
I  look  with  indescribable  emotions  on  the  sorrowing, 
wounded,  bleeding,  and  dying  Son  of  Man  !  And  I  lift  my 
eyes  to  thy  eternal  Deity,  0  blessed  Son  of  God,  and  I  see 
the  glory  of  an  infinite  worth,  and  value,  thrown  over  all  thy 
obedience,  and  all  thy  sufferings,  and  thy  vicarious  death. 
Thou  hast  bought  us  with  thine  own  blood.  I  am  thine, 
and  thou  art  mine,  in  ties  indissoluble.  Lead  on,  then, 
dear  Shepherd.  I  will  follow  thee,  whithersoever  thou 
leadest.  Shed  light  on  the  path  of  duty.  Lord,  I  will  follow 
thee  in  it,  through  good  report,  and  evil  report.  Lead  me 
into  the  green  fields  of  thy  divine  pastures,  and  feed  me  by 
the  still  waters  of  thy  refreshing  ordinances.  And,  deliver 
me  from  the  noise  of  archers  in  the  place  of  the  drawing  of 
waters.  For,  to  thy  care,  my  divine  prophet,  I  commit 
myself  for  divine  guidance  through  all  my  journey.  To 
thee,  my  High  Priest,  I  shall  daily  resort  for  cleansing  by 
the  blood  of  thy  atonement,  and  to  be  accepted  through  thy 
merits  and  intercession.  And  to  thee,  my  sovereign  king, 
I  will  bow,  in  daily  submission  to  thy  laws,  thy  ordinances, 
and  the  expressions  of  thy  will.  And  when  thy  voice  summons 
me  to  thy  presence,  I  shall  mount  up  at  thy  command,  to  be 
for  ever  with  thee.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly. 
Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 

A  MEDITATION,  AND  A  PRAYER  TO  THE  HOLY 
SPIRIT. 

Holy  Spirit,  living  and  true  God !  help  me  to  approach 


102  OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD. 

thy  presence  with  profound  devotion.  I  fear  thee  :  I  love 
thee :  I  adore  thee.  I  tremble  before  thee,  when  I  look  at 
myself;  and  think  of  thy  infinite  purity  and  awful  majes- 
ty. But,  thou  art  the  spirit  of  faith,  and  of  holiness,  to  each 
of  thy  dear  children.  Thou  comest  not  to  destroy  us,  poor 
sinners  ;  but  to  prepare  us  for  heaven  !  This  fills  me  with 
the  boldness  of  hope  when  I  come  before  thee. 

0  eternal  Spirit !  I  adore  thee,  my  Creator.  These 
limbs  of  mine  were  made,  and  fashioned  by  thee  ;  and  thou 
didst  breathe  into  me  the  breath  of  life ;  and  I  became  a 
living  soul.  And  every  silent  moment,  I  feel  the  power  of 
thy  sustaining  influences.  In  thee  I  live,  and  move,  and 
have  my  being.  Thou  hast  given  me  an  understanding  ; 
SLXfd  those  other  faculties  which  crown  the  beauty  of  my 
immortal  soul. 

And  to  thee,  0  blessed  Spirit,  am  I  indebted  for  the  de- 
lightful exercise  of  these  sustained  powers  of  mind.  To 
thee  I  owe  the  pleasures  of  reason,  the  pleasures  of  intel- 
lect, and  of  the  heart.  Wert  thou,  in  thy  awful  sovereignty, 
to  withdraw  from  me  thy  sustaining  power,  all  my  faculties 
would  be  instantly  deranged  ;  and  I  should  become  a  terror 
to  myself,  and  all  around  me.  To  thee,  0  God,  I  devote 
these  powers. 

But,  oh  !  what  were  all  temporal  gifts, — precious  as  they 
are, — without  thy  divine  graces.  Holy  Ghost !  I  adore  thee 
as  the  sovereign  of  the  new  creation.  Thou  sayest.  Let 
there  be  spiritual  life  in  man  ;  and  there  is  life.  Thou 
sayest.  Let  there  be  light  in  his  soul  ;  and  there  is  light. 
And  he  is  a  new  creature.  At  thy  word,  and  by  thy  ap- 
pointed means,  there  spring  up  in  us,  all  the  graces  which 
adorn  the  Christian.  Under  thy  power,  and  thy  smiles,  do 
faith,  love,  and  hope  spring  into  being  ;  and  mount  up  in 
thy  praise,  and  glory.  By  thee  is  the  rock  smitten ;  and 
the  waters  of  genuine  contrition  flow  amain.  By  thee,  ho- 
liness buds  into  being,  and  ripens  into  heavenly  perfection. 


OUR    GOD, THE    TRIUNE    GOD.  103 

I  thank  thee,  O   holy  and  eternal  Spirit,  for  those  offices 
which  thou  deignest  to   exercise  towards  us,  in  the  church. 
Thou  art  our  guide.     Oh  !  lead  me  into  all  truth.     Glorify 
thou  Jesus  Christ,  by  taking  the  things  which  are  his,  and 
revealing  them,  in  their  saving  power,  to  us.     Thou  art  our 
SANCTiFiER.     Oh,  quickeu  my  soul   in  all  the  exercises  of 
the  spiritual  life ;  that  I  may,  with  a  pure  conscience,  run 
the  way  of  all  thy  commands.     Thou  sealest  thy  people  to 
the  day  of  redemption.     Oh  !  seal  me,  my  God,  with  the 
seal  of  heaven  ;  that  I  may  bear  the  image  of  God's  dear 
children.     Put  me  under  the  seal  of  thy  powerful,  and  per- 
manent protection,  till  I  safely  reach  Immanuel's  presence. 
And,  oh  !  be  to  my  drooping  spirit,  the  pledge  of  heaven's 
glory,  by  vouchsafing  to  me  some  of  the  first  ripe  fruits  of 
Canaan  ;  some  of  the  grapes  of  Eshcol,  tasted  on  this  side 
of  Jordan.     And,    thou    dear   and    most   blessed   Inter- 
cessor, make  thou  intercession  ivithin  me,  in  this   cold, 
and   languishing,    and   agitated    bosom, — with   groanings 
which    cannot   be    uttered.      And,    blessed    Comforter, 
let  the   consolations    of  thy  presence   ever   be  with   me. 
Breathe   in  love,  on   my  poor  frail  body,  and  comfort  me 
with  fresh  health,  and  strength.     Breathe  on  my  feeble  soul, 
and  comfort  me  with  the  full  play  of  a  vigorous  intellect, 
and  heart.     Breathe  on  my  graces ;  and  comfort  me  with 
abounding  joys,  and  overflowing  pleasures,  in  the  whole  of 
the  inner  man.     At  the  hour  of  dissolution,  let  thy  comforts 
especially  abound  ;  that  I  may  depart  in  the  full  exercise  of 
all  the  graces  ;  leaving  thy  church,  and  my  relatives  in  the 
joyful  exultation  of  a  triumphant  death.     And,  at  the  last 
day,  set  the  crowning  glory  of  beauty  on  my  resurrection 
body ;  and  present  me  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  the  crown- 
ing glory  of  a  Father's  love,  of  a  Redeemer's  grace,  and  the 
beautifying  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Glory  be  to  the  Fa- 
ther, &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  V. 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

"  Keep  silence,  all  created  things ; 

And  wait  your  Maker's  nod, 
My  soul  stands  trembling,  as  she  sings 

The  honours  of  my  God. 
Life,  death,  and  hell,  and  worlds  unknown, 

Hang  on  his  firm  decree  ; 
He  sits  on  no  precarious  throne; 

Nor  borrows  leave — to  be  ! 
Chained  to  his  throne  a  volume  lies, 

With  all  the  fates  of  men  ; 
With  every  angel's  form,  and  size, 

Drawn  by  the  Eternal's  pen  ! 
His  providence  unfolds  the  book. 

And  makes  his  counsels  shine  : 
Each  opening  leaf,  and  every  stroke, 

Fulfils  some  deep  design. 
Not  Gabriel  asks  the  reason  why, 

Nor  God  the  reason  gives. 
Nor  dares  the  fav'rite  angel  pry 

Between  the  folded  leaves. 

In  thy  fair  Book  of  Life,  and  grace, 

O  !  may  I  find  my  name 
Recorded,  in  some  humble  place, 

Beneath  my  Lord,  the  lamb  !" 

There  are  no  difficulties  attending  the  belief  of  the  di- 
vine decrees,  greater   or   more  insuperable,  than   those  at- 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES.  106 

tending  the  utterance  of  the  prayer  prescribed  by  our  Lord, 
— "  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  done  in  heaven." 
Those  who  can  utter  this  prayer,  in  sincerity  and  truth, 
do  admit  God's  holy  and  everlasting  decrees,  in  their  true 
meaning,  and  full  extent. 

To  the  pious  mind,  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  decrees 
affords  the  most  legitimate  gratification,  and  delight.  He 
is,  thence,  led  to  realize  a  present  over-ruling  and  merciful 
Father  in  all  the  conditions,  and  events  of  life.  While  not 
one  objection  can  be  framed  against  them,  which  may  not, 
with  propriety,  be  urged  against  the  prayer, — "  Thy  will,  0 
God,  be  done  !" 

By  the  decrees  of  God,  we  mean  the  purposes  of  God,  in 
reference  to  all  future  events,  beings,  and  things.  They 
are  his  purpose.  They  constitute  one  grand  whole : 
they  were  formed  instantaneously,  and  complete,  at  once, 
in  his  divine  mind.  The  infinite  One  needed  not  to  con- 
sult a  creature  ;  nor  to  reason ;  nor  make  experiments, 
after  the  manner  of  man.  He  formed  the  perfect  model  of 
his  purposes  instantaneously.  They  need  no  alteration  ;  no 
amendment.  And  on  this  purpose  of  his  mind,  as  the  basis, 
Jehovah  knows  all  things  by  one  intuitive  act  of  his  mind. 
Acts  XV.  18. 

The  existence  of  these  decrees  is  manifest  from  the  ac- 
tual  operation  of  divine  power  before  our  eyes ;  and  from 
the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

The  existence  of  mind,  and  matter,  and  motion,  fully 
prove  this.  If  a  watch,  or  a  globe  could  not  give  existence 
and  motion  to  itself,  infinitely  less  could  our  globe,  and  the 
systems  of  worlds  above  us,  give  themselves  being,  and  mo- 
tion. If  matter  cannot  originate  motion,  and  put  itself  into 
operation  under  fixed  and  immutable  laws,  how  could  this 
globe  on  which  we  live,  and  these  unnumbered  worlds  in 
the  vault  of  heaven,  put  themselves  into  their  prodigious  ra- 
pidity of  motion  ;  and  continue  that  motion  for  countless 
10 


106  OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

ages,  without  a  moment's  variation  I  Tliere  must  be  a  wise, 
and  regulating  Divine  Cause. 

Seeing,  then,  the  Almighty  thus  manifestly  overrules, 
moves,  and  creates  all  things ;  it  follows  that  he  does  this 
according  to  a  fixed  purpose,  and  plan  of  his  divine  mind. 
If  not,  then  the  Almighty  acts  without  any  fixed  purpose,  or 
plan.  Then  you  deny  him  the  common  share  of  wisdom  and 
intelligence  which  man  is  allowed  to  possess.  You,  thence, 
deny  him  to  be  a  wise  and  intelligent  being  !  Not  even  the  fal- 
len angels  have  yet  arrived  at  such  atheism.    See  James  ii.  19, 

The  testimony  of  the  Scriptures  is  decisive  on  this. 
They  speak  of  these  divine  decrees  in  terms  as  explicit  as 
those  in  which  they  speak  of  God's  being  and  perfections. 
"  He  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven  ; 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  :"  "  According  to 
his  good  pleasure  which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself." 
"  According  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will."  "  Whatsoever  the  Lord 
pleased,  that  he  did  in  heaven,  and  in  earth,  in  the  seas, 
and  in  all  deep  places."* 

These  decrees  have  for  their  ultimate  object,  the  highest 
and  best  end.  That  is,  the  exaltation  of  the  divine  glory,  and 
the  happiness,  and  glory  of  all  innocent  and  faithful  beings. 
Whatever  may  be  the  subordinate  eflTects,  trials,  and  appa- 
rent difficulties,  they  all  result  in  these.  And  they  are  ends 
worthy  of  divine  wisdom,  acting  in  concert  with  divine 
goodness,  and  omnipotence. 

These  divine  decrees,  and  their  execution,  extend  to  every 
being,  and  thing,  in  the  universe.  They  reach  the  humblest 
and  the  most  exalted.  They  extend  to  the  smallest  grain  of 
sand,  and  the  greatest  of  worlds  in  all  space.  They  are  con- 
versant about  the  minutest  event,  and  the  humblest  of  invi- 
sible insects ;  as  well  as  the  fate  of  empires,  and  worlds, 

♦  Dan.  iv.  35.    Eph.  i.  9, 11.     Psalm  cxxxv.  6. 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES.  107 

and  the  universe  ;  and  the  noblest  and  most  exalted  of  all 
angels,  and  all  the  host  of  heaven !  They  include  the  cer- 
tainty of  every  act,  and  every  work  of  God  over  the  im- 
mense field  of  divine  providence,  in  its  universal  and  par- 
ticular operations.  They  include  every  purpose,  and  the 
certain  execution  of  every  purpose,  in  relation  to  all  beings 
and  things.  They  extend  to  all  their  actions  on  earth,  and 
in  heaven  ;  be  they  free,  or  necessary,  or,  what  in  reference 
to  us,  are  contingent.  They  extend  to  all  events  in  time, 
in  the  natural,  political,  moral,  and  spiritual  worlds.  They 
regulate  all,  with  unerring  wisdom,  and  power,  from  the  fall 
of  a  grain  of  dust,  to  the  fall  of  an  empire,  a  republic,  a 
world,  a  universe  :  from  the  death  of  an  invisible  insect,  up 
through  all  the  gradation  of  being,  to  the  immortal  life  of 
angels,  and  the  hosts  in  glory. 

They  extend,  finally,  over  the  whole  kingdoms  of  grace 
and  glory.  They  include  the  purpose  of  mercy  ;  the  accom- 
plishment of  our  redemption  by  the  Son  of  God  ;  the  mis- 
sion of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  various  means  of  grace  adapt- 
ed to  the  end  ;  the  complicated  trials,  temptations,  sorrows, 
death,  and  triumph  of  each  of  God's  children  ;  over  the  whole 
field  of  this  world,  and  all  time,  until  they  meet  in  the  com- 
plete family  of  God  in  heaven,  in  body  and  soul!  There, 
the  glory,  and  the  happiness,  and  pursuits  of  the  ransomed, 
and  of  the  angels,  will  reveal  the  fre^h  evolutions  of  the  di- 
vine purposes  through  all  eternity  ! 

These  decrees  do  not  violate  the  freedom  of  action  in 
free  agents.  We  admit  that  all  men  have  a  rational  freedom 
of  will.  He  acts  without  any  consciousness  of  compulsion. 
And,  inasmuch  as  God's  decrees  are  an  impenetrable  se- 
cret to  man,  how  can  they  possibly  subject  his  soul  to  any 
compulsion  ?  God  works  his  will  by  us,  and  in  us.  But 
this  he  does  without  violating  our  natural  liberty  of  will. 

It  has  been  said,  "If  God  has  foreordained  all  that  comes 


108  OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

to  pass,  then  is  He  the  author  of  sin,  and  crimes,  and  hu- 
man misery." 

1st.  We  deny  the  alleged  consequence,  as  illegitimate. 
Besides,  this  charge  is  brought  unblushingly,  in  the  very 
face  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  says, — "  God  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will."  Eph.  i.  11.  Let  him  who 
ventures  to  bring  such  a  charge,  look  well  to  it.  He  must 
settle  his  controversy,  not  with  man,  but  with  his  Creator. 

2d.  While  we  teach  that  God  has  ordained  all  things 
which  come  to  pass,  we  also  teach  that  he  brings  them  to 
pass  by  leaving  man  to  act  according  to  the  rational  freedom 
of  his  own  will,  and  the  propensity  of  his  heart.  They  act 
most  freely,  while  they  go  on,  unconsciously,  in  fulfilling 
what  is  permitted  to  them,  and  decreed  as  the  final  result. 

Nothing  can  be  more  satisfactory  than  the  illustration  of 
this,  in  the  case  of  the  Jews  who  murdered  the  Lord  of 
glory.  That  most  atrocious  deed  was  decreed  by  an  immu- 
table purpose  of  God  from  all  eternity.  Hence,  it  could 
not  but  take  place.  And,  yet  every  agent  concerned  in  that 
atrocious  murder,  acted  voluntarily.  There  was  no  com- 
pulsion. These  Jews  were  urged  on  simply,  by  their  own 
wicked  hearts.  Here  is  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
on  this  matter.  "  Him  being  delivered  by  the  determinate 
counsel,  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by 
wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain."* 

It  is  manifest  that  this  awful  crime  was  not  merely  fore- 
seen by  God  :  it  is  distinctly  stated  to  have  been  "  deter- 
mined by  the  counsel  of  God."  And  this  determinate 
counsel  was  the  basis  of  God's  foreknowledge  thereof.  For 
God  knows  all  things,  solely  because  he  has  decreed,  and 
determined  their  existence  infallibly.  But  how  this  is  done, 
we  cannot  fully  explain.  We  are  too  weak  to  comprehend 
the  ways  of  the  Almighty.  But,  it  is  quite  evident  to  the 
humblest  capacity,  that,  inasmuch  as  these  Jews  who  com- 
*  Acts  ii.  23. 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 


109 


mitted  the  murder,  knew  nothing  of  the  fact  of  the  secret 
mind,  and  decree  of  Jehovah,  in  this  matter,  it  is  utterly 
impossible  that  they  could  be  impelled  thereby.  How  can 
I  be  moved,  or  compelled  to  an  action,  by  a  purpose,  or  a 
decree,  of  whose  aim,  and  contents  I  know  nothing?  No  ; 
the  Jews  acted  freely,  according  to  the  full  bent,  and  wishes 
of  their  hearts.  And  hence,  the  apostle  charged  on  them 
the  guilt  of  a  free  and  voluntary  crime.  "  Him  have  ye 
taken,  and  by  wicked  hands,  have  ye  crucified,  and  slam." 
The  decrees  of  God,  therefore,  violate  no  rational  freedom 
of  man. 

The  Decrees  of  God  are  from  everlasting.  The  infinite 
mind  of  Jehovah  can  have  nothing  new  springing  up  in  it. 
We  must,  therefore,  admit  that  every  purpose,  and  plan  now 
in  his  mind,  was  there  from  all  eternity.  If  we  make  any 
exception  here,  it  will  go  to  deny  the  infinito  perfection  of 
his  nature.  Hence  the  Scriptures  speak  of  his  purposes 
being  from  eternity.  "The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting."  That  is,  the  purpose  of  his 
mercy  goes  as  far  back  into  eternity  for  its  origin,  as  the  du- 
ration of  its  fruits  will  extend  onward  into  eternity.  "  The 
Lord  hath  appeared  of  old  unto  me,  saying,  I  have  loved 
thee  with  an  everlasting  love."  "  God  hath  chosen  us  in 
Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world."* 

These  divine  Decrees  are  sovereign  and  uncontrollable. 
Infinite  wisdom  can  admit  of  no  counsel  from  a  created 
being.  And  if  the  counsels  of  Jehovah  could  be  kept  in 
suspense,  either  in  their  formation,  or  in  their  execution,  by 
the  will  of  man,  or  of  angels,  then  would  omnipotence  and 
divine  sovereignty  be  dependent  on  man's  will,  or  his  con- 
tingent acts  I  No  sober  man  will  venture  to  advance  such 
atheistic  principles.  We  may  sooner  bear  to  hear  it  alleg- 
ed that  the  existence,  and  movement  of  the  worlds  career- 

*  Psalm  ciii.  17.    Jer.  xxxi.  3.     Eph.  i.  4. 
10* 


110  OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

ing  onward  in  space,  depend  on  man's  will,  and  his  puny 
arm.  This  insanity  would  refute  itself.  But,  who  can  bear 
even  the  insinuation,  that  God's  infinite  will,  and  the  omni- 
potence of  his  arm,  which  executes  his  decrees,  can  be  sus- 
pended on  man's  will ;  and  be  kept  in  a  state  of  suspense, 
and  held  paralyzed  in  action,  until  the  contingency  be  de- 
cided by  the  ultimate  action  of  man !  "  Who  hath  directed 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  or,  being  his  counsellor,  has  taught 
him  ]  With  whom  took  he  counsel :  and  who  instructed 
him,  and  taught  him  the  path  of  judgment?'* 

These  Decrees,  and  the  execution  of  them,  are  covered 
with  the  glory  of  divine  wisdom.  Whatever  may  be  the 
apparent  disorders  in  nature  and  providence,  or  in  our  own 
personal  lot,  they  will  all,  ultimately,  appear  in  the  glory  of 
perfect  beauty,  and  harmony.  Infinite  wisdom  presided 
over  their  arrangements,  and  every  minute  part  of  their  ex- 
ecution. And  it  could  not  allow  any  purpose,  or  any  work 
of  God  to  be  otherwise  than  holy,  wise,  just,  and  good. 
And  what  we  see  now,  is  unfinished  work.  Look  to  the 
end  of  all  things.  Wait  until  the  grand  consummation. 
Then  will  the  dazzling  glory  of  his  wise  purpose,  and  pro- 
vidence appear  in  its  full  splendour.  And  every  soul  will 
repeat  the  loud  plaudit  of  adoration.  "0  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wisdom,  and  knowledge  of  God.  How 
unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out !" 

The  divine  Decrees  are  unconditional  and  absolute. 
They  are  all  befitting  the  honour  of  the  divine  sovereign- 
ty ;  and  they  are  all  executed  in  a  manner  equally  befitting 
Him.  To  deny  this,  is  to  suspend  the  action  of  the  divine 
mind,  and  the  divine  hand,  on  what  is  called  human  con- 
tingency. That  is,  man's  puny  will,  with  its  "  self-dntermin- 
ing   power,"  mounts  the  throne  !      And  infinite   wisdom 

*  Isai.  ±1  13,  14. 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES.  Ill 

and  omnipotence  waits  its  movements  !  Of  all  the  concep- 
tions of  an  extravagant  fancy,  what  can  be  conceived  more 
absurd  and  impious  than  this  1  The  eternal  Jehovah, 
waiting  in  suspense  from  all  eternity;  and  watching  the 
will  of  his  own  rebellious  creatures — in  perfect  suspense — 
incapable  of  decreeing,  or  acting,  until  he  shall  see  the 
action  of  their  wills  ;  and  discover  which  way  human  plans 
and  events  will  happen  to  fall  out ;  and  how  this  princely 
will  shall  move,  and  act  !  The  old  doctrine  of  the  sun 
revolving  round  the  earth ;  or  a  universe  of  worlds  rolling 
round  an  invisible  grain  of  sand,  has  nothing  in  point  of 
absurdity  equal  to  this  !  Besides,  the  impiety  and  atheism 
of  it  fill  us  with  horror  !  The  Creator  waiting  in  sus- 
pense on  the  creature  !  Infinite  justice,  in  suspense  at  the 
door  of  the  degraded  rebel !  Omnipotence  watching  for 
the  deciding  movement  of  imbecile  man !  Omniscience 
waiting  at  the  door  of  ignorance!  Infinite  wisdom  render- 
ed incapable  of  acting  until  the  folly  of  man's  will  shall 
bestir  itself!  And  rebellious  dust  and  ashes  regulating  the 
awful  sovereignty  of  the  Creator! 

The  Holy  Scripture  also  lends  its  condemning  testimony 
against  this  doctrine  of  Arminius.  "  I  am  God,  and  there 
is  none  else  :  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  like  me  :  de- 
claring the  end  from  the  beginning  ;  and  from  ancient 
times,  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done  ;  saying.  My 
counsel  shall  stand  ;  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure."  "  God 
doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  ;  and  none  can  stay 
his  hand,  nor  say  unto  him,  what  doest  thou  ?"* 

Finally  ;  God  has  ordained,  in  connection  with  the  end, 
all  the  means,  and  agency  of  instruments,  to  accomplish  the 
end,  throughout  nature,  providence,  and  grace.  This  is  the 
lofty  office  of  divine  wisdom.     It  devises  the  best  end  and 

*     Isai.  xlvi.  9,  10.     Dan.  iv.  35. 


112  OP    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

happiest  results  ;  and  it  selects,  and  puts  into  operation,  the 
best  possible  means  to  attain  those  ends,  with  infallible 
certainty,  and  in  the  best  manner. 

aUESTIONS. 

Is  there  any  insuperable  difficulty  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
divine  decrees? 

Do  they  not  afford  substantial  comfort,  and  delight  to  the 
pious  ? 

What  do  you  understand  by  the  Divine  Decrees  ? 

What  are  the  two  sources  of  proof  of  the  Divine  Decrees? 

W' hat  is  the  first  ?     Does  God  act  without  a  purpose  ? 

W'hat  is  the  second  ?     Name  the  proofs  from  Holy  writ. 

What  is  the  ultimate  end,  and  design  of  these  Decrees  ? 

Do   they   extend  to  every  portion   of  God's  vast  work 
and  kingdoms  ? 

Name  the  three  kingdoms  of  Jehovah  to  which  they  ex- 
tend. 

Can  these  decrees  be  supposed  to  violate  the  freedom  of 
man's  will  ? 

Do  these  decrees  make  God  the  author  of  sin  ?  Explain. 

What  is  the  first  proof  that  they  do  not?     The  second? 

State  the  striking  illustration  of  this   in  the  case   of  the 
Jews. 

Did  not  these  murderers  of  our  Lord  act  most  freely  in 
this  decreed  event? 

WTiat  is  the  first  attribute   of  these  decrees  ?     The  se- 
cond ?     The  third  ?     The  fourth  ? 

State  the  monstrous  absurdity,   and  impiety  of  the  Ar- 
minian  theory  on  this  point,  in  various  particulars 

What  say  the  Holy  Scriptures  on  this  matter?     Quote 
them. 

Has  God  ordained  all  the  means,  and  the  agency  of  the 
proper  instruments,  as  well  as  the  final  results  ? 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES.  113 

What  are  your  own  conscientious  views  of  these  divine 
decrees,  and  of  God's  awful  sovereignty  ? 

MEDITATION. 

"  Father  Eternal !  Thine  is  to  decree; 

Mine  both  in  heaven  and- earth,  to  do  thy  will 

Supreme!" 

Milton. 

I  am  comforted,  and  delighted  with  this  sublime  doctrine. 
It  places  the  sceptre  of  universal  empire  in  the  right  hands. 
It  humbles  the  rebel,  man  ;  and  yet  it  does  him  justice.  It 
places  the  Supreme  Ruler  on  his  own  throne,  in  the  fulness 
of  his  glory,  and  unlimited  sovereignty.  It  exalts  all  the 
divine  perfections.  It  throws  a  halo  of  pure  glory  around 
his  omniscience,  his  wisdom,  his  goodness,  his  omnipo- 
tence. It  allows  no  stain  to  fall  on  his  sovereign  will,  and 
sovereign  power.  It  exhibits  his  sovereign  will,  and  pur- 
pose, in  exact  conformity  with  his  acts,  and  doings  in  the 
kingdoms  of  nature,  providence,  and  grace.  It  leaves  no- 
thing to  chance ;  nothing  to  human  contingency  ;  nothing 
to  the  will,  and  power  of  the  enemy.  It  presents  to  us  our 
God  in  his  paternal,  and  most  loving  character,  clothed  with 
all  that  sovereign  authority  with  which  filial  love  delights  to 
see  him  invested.  He  is  present  with  all,  acting  out  his 
purposes  with  severe  justice,  and  boundless  love.  His 
watchful  eyes  are  over  all,  with  a  father's  love.  He  sus- 
tains us  all  under  his  powerful  and  permanent  protection. 
He  over-rules  all  events  in  wisdom,  and  uncontrollable 
power.  No  being,  nor  thing  is  too  insignificant  for  his 
care.  Nothing  is  too  minute  for  him  in  our  cares,  and 
sorrows.  Without  his  permission  «' there  shall  not  a  hair 
of  our  heads  perish."  Diseases  and  afflictions  are  his 
messengers.  He  says  to  one,  "go  ;  and  it  goeth  ;  to  ano- 
ther, come  ;  and  it  cometh."     He  determines  the  bounds 


114  OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

of  our  habitation  :  and  fixes  the  measure  of  our  days. 
"  Whatever  is,  is  right,"  under  his  controlling  power,  and 
unceasing  goodness. 

If  I  did  not  believe  in  the  divine  decrees,  I  could  not 
believe  in  God's  special  providence.  For  his  holy  provi- 
dence is  nothing  else  than  his  omnipotence,  and  wisdom 
carrying  out  the  fixed  purposes  of  his  sovereign  will,  injus- 
tice, and  mercy. 

If  I  do  belong  to  God's  house,  and  family,  I  cannot  but 
rejoice  that  my  Heavenly  Father's  will  should  be  done  in 
all  things, — and  not  my  will.  Why  is  it  that  men  should 
exalt  their  will  against  the  will  of  God  ?  Why  are  they  so 
very  anxious  to  exalt  the  freedom  of  their  will,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  freedom  of  God  Almighty's  will  ?  Will  they 
profess  that  man  has  a  self-determining  power  in  his  free 
will ;  and  that  God  Almighty  has  ?io  self-determining  power 
in  his  infinite  will  ?  I  am  inclined  to  think  that,  on  due 
consideration,  this  unphilosophical  and  rival  power  in  man, 
will  be  found  to  be  swallowed  up,  or  annihilated  by  the  in- 
finite self-determining  power  of  the  Almighty.  Dagon 
cannot  stand  before  the  ark  of  God  !  The  rod  of  Moses 
swallows  up  the  rods  of  the  magicians  ! 

Can  any  child  of  God  be  afraid  lest  God's  will  should  be 
done  ?  Is  he  not  our  Heavenly  Father  ?  Will  our  Father's 
will  not  do  us  ample  justice?  Is  he  not  daily  loading  us 
with  his  benefits  ?  Does  he  not  save  us  by  his  own  Son  ? 
Does  he  not  comfort  us,  and  give  us  all  good  things,  by 
his  Spirit?  Does  he  not  reprove  our  waywardness,  and 
reclaim  us  from  our  wanderings  ?  Let  me  ever  remem- 
ber what  God  is, — and  what  I  am, — and  what  my  Father 
does  to  me.  And,  then,  I  shall  be  submissive  to  his  di- 
vine decrees  ;  which  are  but  another  name  for  his  most 
holy  will. 

And  may  the  good  Lord  deliver  me  from  will-worship  : 
and  bring  me,  like  the  fair  angel  choir,  into  an  humble  and 


OF    THE    DIVINE    DECREES.  115 

loving  subjection  to  Him,  who  alone  has  a  self-determining, 
and  infinitely  holy  will. 

"  The  heavenly  audience  loud 

Sung  Hallelujah,  as  the  sound  of  seas, 
Through  multitude  that  sung:  •  Just  are  thy  ways, 
Righteous  are  thy  decrees  on  all  thy  works ; 
Who  can  extenuate  TheeV  " 

Milton. 

A  PRAYER. 

Incomprehensible  Jehovah  !  thou  drawest  back  the  face 
of  thy  throne ;  and  coverest  it  with  light  ineffable,  which  to 
us,  mortals,  is  utter  darkness.  All  thy  works  proclaim  thy 
unceasing  agency.  And  this  agency  is  rich  in  thy  divine 
wisdom.  And  this  wisdom  proclaims  the  existence,  and 
the  stability  of  thy  eternal  decrees. 

With  thee,  0  Lord,  it  was  a  matter  of  the  freest  choice 
whether  thou  would  create  all  these  beings  that  exist ;  and 
all  these  worlds  that  contain  them.  With  thy  awful  mind 
it  rested  what  they  all  should,  each  of  them,  be,  if  created. 
With  thy  will,  0  Lord,  it  rested  whether  man  should  be,  or 
never  be  :  whether  he  should  be  mortal,  or  immortal  :  whe- 
ther, as  a  fallen  creature,  he  should  be  ransomed,  or  passed 
by,  as  the  fallen  angels  were :  and  whether  all  should  be 
saved,  or  only  some  :  and  whether  the  majority,  or  the  mi- 
nority should  be  ransomed.  Thou  alone  hast  the  right  to 
do  as  thou  pleasest.  Even  so  hast  thou  purposed,  and  acted 
in  the  most  gracious  and  beneficent  manner  toward  us. 

Thy  will,  O  God,  purposed,  and  planned,  and  originated 
all  things.  None  can  sit  in  counsel  with  thee,  0  triune 
God  !  No  creature  existed  where  thy  eternal  counsels  were 
held.  No  creature,  therefore,  could  anticipate  thy  pleasure ; 
or  lead  thy  infinite  mind  to  its  sovereign  resolves.  Be- 
hold !  thou  puttest  no  trust  in  thy   servants  in  the  hallowed 


116  OF    TUE    DIVINE    DECREES. 

circle  of  heaven  :  and  thine  angels  thou  chargest  with  folly ! 
What,  then,  0  Lord,  is  man  !  Can  he — a  rebel — a  polluted 
sinner,  sit  in  judgment  on  thy  awful  will,  and  thy  unsearch- 
able decrees  !  Cm  the  child  of  the  dust — the  creature  of  a 
day,  who  knows  nothing,  anticipate  the  purposes,  or  control 
the  mind,  of  the  Almighty  !  Thou  doest  according  to  thy 
will,  in  the  armies  of  heaven.  And  shall  the  degraded  and 
corrupt  children  of  this  earth  regulate  the  counsels  of  hea- 
ven, to  which  all  the  hosts  in  glory,  bow  in  lowly  submis- 
sion !  Can  thy  eternal  decrees  be  suspended  in  their  awful 
and  irresistible  determinations  by  "  the  free  will"  of  rebel 
man  !  Can  the  proud  claims  of  "  free  will,"  demand  pre- 
cedence in  the  court  of  heaven,  and  the  councils  of  the 
most  wise  God  !  Oh !  my  God,  the  heart  of  man  is  de- 
ceitful above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked.  Here,  at 
thy  feet,  in  dust  and  ashes,  I  would  relinquish  my  pride, 
and  stubbornness.  "  So  foolish  am  I,  and  ignorant ;  I  am  as 
a  beast  before  thee,"  0  holy  and  sovereign  Jehovah  !  Oh  ! 
Lord,  in  thy  tender  mercy,  be  pleased  to  root  up,  and  de- 
stroy this  pride — this  atheism  of  my  depraved  heart.  Work 
in  me,  0  God,  both  to  will,  and  to  do  of  thy  good  plea- 
sure. Then,  in  subdued  feelings,  and  the  deepest  lowliness 
of  soul,  my  heart  being  purged  from  its  innate  depravity, 
shall  cordially  yield  to  thy  will  the  unbounded  supremacy 
of  dominion.  And  being  bound  to  thee,  0  Lord,  by  in- 
dissoluble ties,  and  obligations,  I  shall  press  forward  in  love, 
and  in  duty,  to  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God,  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  having,  according  to  the  will 
of  God,  at  length  reached  the  mount  of  God,  I  shall  joy- 
fully strike  my  harp  to  the  ceaseless  song  of  the  ransomed  ; 
and  sing  for  ever,  the  praises  of  electing,  and  redeeming 
love ! 

Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  ;  as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  shall 
be  through  all  duration  !  Amen. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ;    AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN. 

"  Of  every  tree,  that  in  the  garden  grows, 
Eat  freely,  with  glad  heart ;  fear  here  no  dearth: 
But,  of  the  tree  whose  operation  brings 
Knowledge  of  good,  and  ill,  which  I  have  set 
The  pledge  of  thy  obedience,  and  thy  faith, 
Amid  the  garden,  by  the  tree  of  life, 
Remember  what  1  warn  thee ;   shun  to  taste  ; 
And  shun  the  bitter  consequence.     For,  know, 
The  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  my  sole  command 
Transgressed,  inevitably  thou  shalt  die — 
Thou,  and  thine  offspring  !" 

Milton. 

Man,  the  last  and  noblest  of  the  works  of  God,  was  made 
in  the  image  of  God  ;  and  was  prepared  for  the  high  and 
glorious  end  of  his  being. 

From  the  earliest  hour  of  his  existence,  man,  like  every 
other  moral  agent,  was  under  a  law  of  obedience.  He 
could  not  exist  in  any  other  relation  to  God. — But  it  would 
have  been  a  pure  act  of  goodness  on  the  part  of  God,  to 
enter  into  a  covenant  with  Adam.  It  would  have  been  a 
pure  act  of  sovereignty  to  constitute  him  the  federal,  as  well 
as  the  natural  representative  of  all  his  posterity.  And  it 
would  have  been  an  unparalleled  act  of  sovereign  authority 
to  give  him  the  opportunity  of  working  out  for  himself,  and 

11 


118  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

for  each  one  of  all  his  countless  children,   a  splendid  and 
eternal  reward,  by  his  own  personal  obedience ! 

No  one  can  deny  that  the  Most  High  had  a  perfect  right 
to  do  all  this.  It  was  evidently  advantageous  to  man,  who 
possessed  in  perfection,  the  image  of  God.  "  Firm  he 
might  have  stood."  And  he  must  have  been  infinitely  better 
qualified  to  be  our  representative,  than  any  mortal  that  has 
ever  lived,  or  will  live  on  earth,  to  be  now  his  own  surety, 
or  representative. 

Now,  this  is  actually  the  course  which  our  Creator  has 
adopted  toward  Adam,  and  his  whole  posterity. 

"  There  are  the  two  covenants  ;"  says  St.  Paul,  in  Gal. 
iv.  24.  "The  one  is  from  Mount  Sinai:"  that  is,  it 
was  republished  from  Mount  Sinai.  And  this  was  done 
for  a  grand  specific  purpose,  of  universal  importance.  It 
was  this, — to  pour  upon  the  hearts  of  the  Hebrews,  and  of 
all  men,  in  all  coming  generations,  the  overpowering  con- 
viction of  their  guilt,  their  impotence,  and  the  utter  impos- 
sibility of  their  obtaining  salvation  by  the  deeds  of  the  law. 
And  thus,  "  it  shut  them  up  to  the  faith"  in  the  blood  of 
the  atonement,  exhibited  in  the  most  luminous  manner  to 
the  Hebrew,  under  the  Old  Testament,  in  every  one  of  all 
his  sacrifices  :  and  to  the  Christian,  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  other  covenant  is  "the  everlasting  covenant," 
spoken  of  by  David,  "  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure."  Of 
these  we  shall  speak  in  order. 

I.  The  covenant  of  Works  was  the  first  covenant  re- 
vealed to  man,  in  the  order  of  God's  dispensations  to  us. 
This  solemn  transaction  was  entered  into,  by  God  with 
Adam,  Gen.  ii.  16,  17.  "  And  the  Lord  God  commanded  the 
man,  saying.  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely 
eat ;  but  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou 
shalt  not  eat  of  it :  for  in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou 
shalt  surely  die."  In  this  brief  narrative  are  detailed  the 
constituent  parts  of  this  federal  transaction. 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  119 

Here  we  discover,  first,  the  two  contracting  parties  : 
namely,  the  Creator,  and  our  common  father,  Adam.  Se- 
cond :  the  co7idition  prescribed,  and  accepted.  Third : 
the  penalty  distinctly  enacted.  Fourth :  the  promise  stipu- 
lated, namely,  life. — Thus,  though  the  word  covenant  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  whole  transaction,  we  have  what  is  still 
more,  the  necessary  constituents  of  a  covenant,  fully  set 
before  us.     Let  us  examine  these  more  closely. 

First : — We  find  the  contracting  parties.  On  the  one 
hand,  our  Maker  is  one  party.  And  we  know  not  which  to 
admire,  and  adore  most, — the  riches  of  his  goodness,  or  his 
astonishing  condescension.  He  might  have  merely  placed  us 
under  a  law  :  he  might  have  entered  into  no  covenant  with  us. 
He  might  have  admitted  us  to  no  opportunity,  and  no  pro- 
mise of  obtaining  a  splendid  reward  of  life  and  eternal 
glory,  by  our  obedience.  But,  in  condescending  goodness, 
he  entered  into  a  covenant  with  Adam.  He  promised 
him  eternal  life,  and  glory,  on  the  delightful  condition  of 
loving  God,  and  obeying  his  will. 

And  herein  is  the  divine  goodness  manifest.  By  this 
covenant  our  Creator  acquired  no  new  potver  over  us : 
no  new  service  from  us,  to  which  He  was  not  entitled  fully, 
now,  and  for  ever  from  us,  as  our  adorable  Creator.  It 
was  exclusively  for  man's  benefit,  and  felicity,  that  God 
thus  stooped  in  love,  "  to  make  himself  a  debtor  to  man," 
on  his  obedience  to  him  ;  and  thence  to  crown  his  obedience 
with  immortal  glory. 

The  other  contracting  party  was  Adam.  And  it  is  not 
difficult  to  perceive  that  there  could  be  no  greater  prospect 
of  perfect  success,  on  man's  part,  in  this  covenant,  than 
that  which  was  then  set  before  him.  His  Maker  had  la- 
vished on  him  the  fruits  of  his  wisdom,  and  bounty. 
"  Come,  let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  like- 
ness." Such  was  the  wonderful  council  of  Trinity  on 
man's  creation.     "  So  God  made  man  in  his  own  image  : 


120  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

in  the  image  of  God  created  He  him."  And  this  image 
included  every  gift,  and  grace  that  could  qualify  him  to  obey 
God,  and  enjoy  him.  He  was,  therefore,  a  most  perfect 
model  of  a  representative ;  such  as  God  would  choose,  and 
appoint  at  the  head  of  a  covenant.  And,  accordingly,  he 
did  select  him,  and  appoint  him  to  be  our  federal  head. 
And  Adam's  consent  to  the  covenant,  and  its  terms,  was 
never  demanded.  It  was  not  necessary;  It  was  fully  im* 
plied.  The  moment  that  God's  will  is  made  known  to  a 
perfectly  holy  moral  agent,  such  as  Adam  was,  he  presents 
himself  promptly  for  the  required  obedience,  without  the 
formality  of  a  consent  asked  and  given.  The  existence  of 
God's  image  in  him,  and  his  entire  dependence  on  his 
Maker,  expressed,  in  silence,  his  fullest,  and  most  perfect 
consent. 

And,  my  young  friends,  had  each  individual  of  the  fa- 
mily of  Adam  been  there,  by  the  side  of  Adam,  on  that 
occasion,  when  he  entered  into  covenant  for  himself,  and 
for  us,  our  consent  would  not  have  been  asked.  The  per- 
fection of  our  innocence,  had  we  been  there,  as  Adam  was, 
would  have  been  our  silent  yet  perfect,  and  most  explicit 
consent  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant.  In  all  covenant 
transactions  between  God,  and  his  subjects,  this  is  invaria- 
bly the  case.  Hence  He  says, — "  God  has  enjoined  on 
you  this  covenant."  See  Heb.  ix.  20.  And  herein  these 
transactions  differ  from  all  human  covenants.  In  these, 
man  meets  man  on  a  footing  of  equality  ;  and  their  mutual 
consent  is  indispensable  in  the  transaction. 

Now,  there  are  tivo  points  which  we  think  will  be  readi- 
ly conceded  here.  1st.  Our  sovereign  Creator  had  the 
right  exclusively  to  appoint  Adam,  our  common  father,  to 
be  our  representative.  And,  let  it  not  be  forgotten,  that 
in  his  transactions  with  man,  God  has  adopted  the  principle 
of  representation,  both  in  the  covenant  of  works,  and  in  the 


AND    THE    FALL    OP    MAN.  121 

covenant  of  grace.     "  In  Adam  all  die  :  in  Christ  shall  all 
be  made  alive." 

2d.  The  most  selfish  of  the  species  cannot  refuse  his  as- 
sent to  the  truth  that,  on  the  supposition  that  Adam  was  our 
common  representative,  he  could  not  have  had  one  better 
qualified  to  do  the  office.  Surely  no  one  of  us  will  venture 
to  suppose  that  we  could  have  been  better  qualified,  or  more 
likely  to  stand  the  test.  If  any  one  has  a  scruple,  or  diffi- 
culty here,  let  him  only  compare  his  own  guilt,  and  utter 
incapacity,  with  the  holiness,  and  perfectness  of  Adam. 
Will  any  one,  after  such  a  comparison,  venture  to  say  that 
he  would  rather  have  been  his  own  representative  ?  What ! 
Thou,  a  guilty,  condemned,  and  impotent  man,  a  better  re- 
presentative, and  more  likely  to  succeed,  than  a  man  formed 
in  perfection  after  God's  own  image  ! 

Second : — Let  us  examine  the  condition  of  this  cove- 
nant. In  addition  to  his  lavishing  on  man,  the  gift  of  his 
own  image,  our  Maker  made  the  terms  of  the  covenant 
simple  and  easy.  He  required  him  to  do  that  which  man, 
as  a  holy  being,  loved  to  do,  and  was  quite  able  to  do.  And 
as  the  sacramental  test  of  his  obedience  and  love,  he 
required  of  man  to  abstain  from  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
knowledge.  What  could  be  more  reasonable,  or  just  ? 
Gen.  ii.  16,  17. 

Third: — Consider  the  penalty  of  the  covenant.  A  co- 
venant, and  a  law,  imply  a  penalty  to  enforce  them.  And 
the  penalty,  in  order  to  be  a  sufficient  one,  must  be  such  as 
to  inflict  on  the  delinquent  a  positive  evil,  and  one  greater 
than  the  benefit  can  be,  which  man  promises  to  himself  by 
breaking  the  covenant.  For  it  is  evident,  that  if  man  de- 
rives a  greater  benefit  by  breaking  God's  covenant,  than  by 
keeping  it,  the  penalty  is  not  only  not  sufficient ;  but  it 
holds  out  a  temptation  to  crime.  It  will  follow,  then,  that 
in  proportion  to  the  severity  of  the  penalty,  man  will  be 
more  likely  to  keep  a  rigid  watch  over  his  own  heart,  and 
11* 


122  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

nis  allegiance,  and  obedience  to  God.  Hence,  the  severer 
the  penalty,  the  greater  the  display  of  divine  goodness  to 
man,  the  contracting  party. 

But,  the  penalty  included  the  loss  of  life,  and  the  disso- 
lution of  the  body  into  dust :  the  loss  of  spiritual  life  ;  and 
the  loss  of  eternal  life  in  heaven.  That  is,  the  penalty,  if 
incurred,  brought  the  infliction  of  natural  death, — spiritual 
death,  and  eternal  death,  in  hell ! 

And  this  threatened  penalty,  by  necessity,  implies  the 
promise  of  Almighty  God,  that  man's  obedience  should  be 
graciously  rewarded  with  natural  life,  and  the  absolute  ex- 
emption from  all  pains  of  mind  and  all  diseases  of  body  ; 
with  spiritual  life  on  earth,  and  eternal  life  in  heaven. 

With  this  fearful  penalty  and  responsibility  before  his  eyes, 
man  proved  traitor  to  his  God.  Being  left  to  the  freedom 
of  his  own  will,  as  every  moral  agent  is,  when  in  a  state  of 
innocence  and  probation,  Adam  and  Eve  fell  from  their 
first  estate,  by  a  fatal  act  of  rebellion  and  apostacy. 

II.  The  covenant  of  works  was  made  with  all  mankind, 
in  Adam,  as  our  common  head,  and  representative.  Hence 
we  sinned  in  him,  and  fell  with  him  in  his  first  transgres- 
sion. With  him,  in  the  rest  of  his  sins,  w^e  have  no  parti- 
cipation. 

This  I  press  on  the  attention  of  my  young  readers  as  one 
of  the  most  important  and  essential  doctrines  of  Christiani- 
ty. And  as  no  doctrine  is  more  important,  so  no  one  is 
more  clearly  and  impressively  taught  in  the  holy  Bible.  There 
are  two  great  public  characters  held  up  to  our  view  in  the 
holy  Scriptures, — the  first  Adam,  and  the  second  Adam. 
Paul  calls  them  the  first  man,  and  the  second  man  :  1  Cor. 
XV.  47.  This  can  be  spoken  of  them,  only  as  public  cha- 
racters, standing  forward  at  the  head  of  their  respective  co- 
venants, each  representing  his  own  particular  family.  This 
expression  removes  every  doubt  on  the  matter ; — "  In  Adam 
all  die ;  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  123 

Rom.  V.  12.  "By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world," 
&c.  Here  it  is  not  said  sms,  but  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  by  one  man.  If  there  was  no  representation  by 
Adam  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  every  man  stood  for  himself, 
with  no  kind  of  truth,  could  it  be  said, — "  by  one  man 
sin," — not  sins,  but  "sin"  in  general,  "entered  into  the 
world?"  Besides,  it  is  manifest  that  the  serpent,  and 
also  Eve,  did  positively  sin  before  him.  Yet  it  is  said  here, 
— "  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world."  Hence  the 
deed  was  not  consummated  by  Eve  ;  it  was  consummated 
only  when  Adam  sinned.  Therefore  it  is  evident,  that 
Adam  stood  in  a  public  character  as  otir  representative,  and 
the  head  of  the  covenant.  The  close  of  this  verse  is  con- 
clusive. "So  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have 
sinned."  Now,  let  me  render  this  obscure  version  literally. 
It  runs  thus  : — "  So  death  passed  upon  all  men  through  him, 
in  whom  all  have  sinned."* 

Verse  13.  "  For  unto  the  law,  sin  was  in  the  world  : 
but  sin  is  not  imputed  where  there  is  no  law." 

That  is,  unto  the  time  of  the  law,  given  to  Moses  at  Mount 
Sinai,  sin  and  its  penalty,  death,  were  in  the  world,  raging 
over  all  men.  Hence,  previous  to  the  law  of  Sinai,  there 
was  a  law  universally  binding  on  all  men ;  and  also  broken 
by  all  men  universally  ;  otherwise  all  men  would  not  have 
died,  even  infants.  But,  there  was  no  other  law,  nor  cove- 
nant, binding  on  all  men,  but  the  covenant  of  works ;  nor 
sinned  against  by  all  men,  but  the  covenant  in  Adam.  And 
therefore,  it  is  clear  that  Adam  was  our  covenant  head,  and 
in  him  we  all  sinned,  and  fell. 

Verse  14.  "  Death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses,  even 
over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's 
transgression." 

*  So  the  Greek  preposition  en-t  is  rendered  in  Mark  ii.  4.  "  The 
bed  in  which,  'c^  w,  the  palsied  man  was  laid. 


124  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

That  all  men  died  from  Adam  to  Moses,  is  admitted. 
And  the  reason  is  assigned, — "  for  all  have  sinned."  But, 
here  is  the  point  of  the  Apostle's  argument.  Death  reigned 
not  only  over  adults,  who  had  sinned  actually  ;  but  also 
over  those  who  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's 
transgression, — that  is,  over  infants,  who  had  not,  after  the 
similitude  of  Adam's  transgression,  sinned  personally,  and 
in  deed.  But  sin,  with  its  consequences,  is  not  imputed  to 
infants  where  there  is  no  law.  Hence,  it  follows,  that  there 
is  a  law  binding  upon  infants  ;  and  that  law,  moreover, 
must  have  been  broken  by  infants,  else  they  could  not  have 
incurred  the  penalty  of  death.  But  every  one  will  admit 
that  this  penalty  could  not  have  been  incurred  by  infants 
by  their  own  personal  deeds.  The  little  infant  never  com- 
mitted an  actual  sin.  Hence,  they  sinned  in  Adam,  their 
representative.  This  must  be  admitted,  or  it  must  be  af- 
firmed that  God's  spotless  justice  punishes  pure,  innocent, 
and  sinless  infants  with  the  curse  of  death.  For,  "the 
wages  of  sin  is  death." 

Moreover,  Adam  is  here  styled  "the  figure,"  or  type  of 
Christ,  who  "  was  to  come."  But  Christ  was  the  head  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  substitute,  or  representative 
of  his  people.  Isaiah  xlii.  6.  "I  will  give  thee  for  a  cove- 
nant to  the  people:"  "he  is  the  mediator  of  abetter  cove- 
nant :"  and  hence  "he  was  a  sin  offering  for  us  ;"  and 
ransomed  us  by  dying  in  our  stead.  Isaiah  liii.  This  is 
the  only  conceivable  point  in  which  Adam  can  be  a  type  of 
Christ.  Therefore  Adam  must  have  been  the  head  of  the 
covenant  of  works,  and  the  representative  of  all  his  chil- 
dren by  ordinary  generation.  As  certainly,  therefore,  as 
we  are  made  savingly  alive  by  Christ,  were  we  involved  in 
death  by  Adam.  Hence,  Adam  did  as  certainly  represent 
all  his  family  in  his  covenant,  as  Christ  did  all  his  family 
in  his  covenant  of  grace. 

Ver.  15.     "  Through  the  offence  of  one,  many  are  dead." 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  125 

Now,  as  death  comes  only  by  sin  ;  and  as  "  many"  died 
through  the  offence  of  the  one  man  Adam,  it  is  quite  mani- 
fest that  the  many  who  died  in  Adam  must  have  sinned  in 
him.  Hence,  the  covenant  was  made  with  him  in  the  name 
of  ^Hhe  many"  who  make  up  his  family.  And,  to  leave  no 
obscurity  on  this  point,  the  Apostle  repeats  and  accumulates 
the  evidence  until  the  proof  is  absolute  demonstration. 
"  The  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation."  "  By  one 
man's  offence  death  reigned  by  one."  In  what  language 
could  the  truth  be  more  infallibly  before  us  than  this, — 
that  death  reigned,  that  is,  pervaded  all  men  by  its  dominion 
and  sway  :  and  this  not  by  the  offence  of  each  one;  but 
by  one  man^s  offence ;  even  by  this  one  man  did  it  reign. 
And  it  deserves  notice  that  Paul  used  a  word  that  settles  the 
point  at  once.  "  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners."  That  is,  they  were  legally  constituted, 
sinners  :  by  law  and  equity  they  were  declared  and  made 
sinners.  But  they  must  have  been  legally  in  Adam,  and 
must  have  sinned  against  law  in  him  :  otherwise  they  could, 
by  no  act  of  law,  or  justice,  have  been  legally  made  and 
declared  to  be  sinners,  by  the  one  man's  disobedience. 

Let  me  urge  on  your  attention  that  impressive  passage  in 
1  Cor.  XV.  22.  "In  Adam  all  die  :"  that  is,  by  Adam  all 
die,"  for  so  is  the  word  rendered  in  Luke  iv.  1.  Christ 
was  led  by  the  Spirit.  Even  so,  all  die  by  Adam  as  the 
cause.  Now,  I  recur  to  the  principle,  that  "  death  is  the 
wages  of  sin  :"  and  where  no  sin  is,  there  can  be  no  death  : 
and  wherever  death  is,  there  is  sin.  But  all  of  us  die  in 
Adam  ;  it  is  most  manifest  then  we  all  sinned  in  Adam. 
And  if  we  all  sinned  in  him,  of  course  we  must  have  been 
duly  represented  by  him  as  our  common  father,  and  federal 
head  in  the  covenant. 

Hence,  there  is  an  irresistible  force  in  the  argument  ta- 
ken from  the  death  of  infants.  Let  me  direct  your  atten- 
tion to  this  affecting  appeal  to  our  hearts  on  this  important 


126 


OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 


doctrine.  You  must  have  seen  a  sweet  smiling  babe  on  its 
mother's  bosom.  In  a  certain  sense,  it  is  "  an  innocent,'*^ 
It  has  never  committed  a  sin  actually,  in  deed,  in  word,  or 
in  thought.  It  has  never  trespassed  by  voluntary  action; 
Now,  if  there  were  no  other  sin  than  that  which  consists  in 
voluntary  action ;  then,  reason,  philosophy,  and  the  Bible 
proclaim,  that  it  is  a  thing  as  impossible  that  that  infant 
could  suffer,  or  die,  as  it  is  a  thing  impossible  that  God  can 
act  unjustly  I  For  justice  can  never  allow  the  innocent  to 
suffer,  in  any  case.  But,  here  are  facts  that  overturn  spe- 
cious theories.  See  that  little  one,  "innocent,"  as  it  re- 
gards voluntary  actual  sin,  now  suffering  excruciating  pain. 
It  moans,  it  weeps,  it  is  in  an  agony  of  convulsion.  Can 
an  angel  weep  ?  Can  a  pure  and  spotless  being  deserve  to 
suffer  such  pain  and  agony  ?  This  is  not  all,  it  dies  in  the 
midst  of  its  severest  pains.  Again,  I  recur  to  first  princi- 
ples. Sorrows,  pains,  and  death  are  the  wages  of  sin. 
They  are  not  blessings.  They  never  can  be  called  bless- 
ings. God  may,  and  does  snatch  the  sufferer  out  of  them, 
and  bring  the  agonized  babe  home  to  heaven.  But  still, 
disease,  and  agonies,  and  death  are  in  themselves  purely 
curses,  and  that,  too,  of  the  severest  kind.  Now,  the  justice 
of  God  will  never  permit  the  purely  innocent  to  suffer,  or 
die.  It  is  absolutely  impossible,  inasmuch  as  God  cannot 
deny  himself.  "The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die."  Of 
course,  the  soul  that  never  sinned  can  never  die.  Now, 
bring  these  two  points  into  contact : — "  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death  :"  and,  the  infant  actually  suffers  agonizing  pains,  and 
death.  Either,  then,  there  is  another  kind  of  sin  of  which 
infants  are  guilty, — besides  actual  and  voluntary  deed  ;  or 
else,  God,  in  infinite  justice,  inflicts  the  most  dreadful  pu- 
nishment on  infants  who  are  pure  and  spotless.  But,  this 
is  impossible.  Hence,  infants  are  guilty  of  some  kind  of 
sin.  But  there  is  no  other  than  that  of  our  sin  in  Adam  ; 
that  is,  original  sin.     Hence  the  certainty  of  the  fact  of  ori- 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  127 

ginal  sin,  is  just  as  strong,  and  as  conclusive  as  is  the  fact 
of  the  death  of  infants.  If  we  deny  original  sin,  we 
leave  unaccounted  for,  one  of  the  most  striking  and  painful 
moral  phenomena  in  the  existing  history  of  our  species. 
But  our  exposition  accounts  for  it  on  the  justest,  and  most 
rational  principles. 

It  is,  in  fact,  founded  on  the  universally  recognized  prin- 
ciples of  human  intercourse,  and  mercantile  transactions. 
An  example  or  two  will  explain  this. 

A  merchant  has  his  accredited  agent  in  a  foreign  city. 
This  is  his  federal  representative.  He  sells  the  shipment  of 
goods  to  great  advantage.  Now,  whose  are  the  profits  ? 
They  belong  to  him,  as  one  of  the  firm,  and  all  his  asso- 
ciates whom  he  represented  in  the  transaction.  On  what 
principles  do  the  profits  belong  to  them  mutually  ?  Just  in 
those  solid,  and  well-known  principles,  by  which  Adam  was 
our  agent  or  representative  ;  and  which  we  all  should  have 
reaped  the  glorious  reward  of  his  obedience  had  he  been 
faithful,  as  he  might  have  been. 

But,  reverse  the  case.  The  agent  happens  to  come  to  a 
bad  market;  he  loses  not  only  the  whole  amount  with 
which  he  was  entrusted ;  but  he  incurs  a  ruinous  debt. 
Now,  whose  is  that  loss  1  Whose  is  that  ruinous  debt  ?  It 
is  that  of  the  agent,  a  partner  in  the  firm,  and  also  that  of 
each  one  of  his  numerous  partners  in  the  concern.  On 
what  principles  ?  Just  on  those  by  which  we  are  involved 
in  Adam's  guilt,  and  consequent  loss.  So  plainly  and  ob- 
viously is  this  great  principle  of  the  tivo  covenants,  and 
the  two  Adams',  recognized  in  the  every  day  transactions  of 
civil  society. 

Upon  the  same,  great  principle  does  the  signature  of  a 
father  to  a  deed  and  a  mortgage,  bind,  without  consent 
asked  or  given,  his  children,  and  children's  children  to  a 
thousand  generations  :  while  his  profligacy  involves  them 
in  bodily  disease,  shame,  and  poverty,  throughout  all  their 


128  OF    THE   COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

generations.  Here  is  a  historical  illustration  afforded  us 
in  divine  providence.  Is  this  just  1  Is  it  fair  ?  Upon 
what  principles  ?  Just  upon  the  same  universal  principle 
on  which  Adam's  hand-writing,  and  his  faithlessness,  in- 
volved us  all  in  disease,  death,  shame  and  poverty ! 

There  is  not  an  objection  brought  against  this,  which, 
if  brought  against  these  transactions  in  human  life,  would 
not  throw  every  portion  of  society  into  irrecoverable  con- 
fusion. 

For  instance  :  one  objects,  "  I  never  gave  my  consent 
to  Adam's  representing  me." — We  have  shown  that  Adam 
was  not  asked  to  give  his  consent.  And  hadst  thou  been 
present  by  his  side,  in  the  equality  of  his  holiness,  and  per- 
fection, thy  consent  never  would  have  been  asked.  The 
perfection  of  man's  primitive  nature  promptly  yielded  the 
tacit  and  unasked  consent. 

"  I  never  gave  my  consent  to  Adam's  sin :  how  could  I 
sin  in  him  without  my  consent?"  Let  me  transfer  this  to 
the  case  of  one  of  the  descendants  in  the  case  above  al- 
luded to.  Suppose  a  child,  or  remote  descendant  of  the 
father  alluded  to,  should  come  into  court,  and  say — "  All 
sin  lies  in  voluntary  action  ;  the  sin  of  my  father  cannot 
be  imputed  to  me,  when  I  was  yet  unborn.  I  never  gave 
my  consent  to  my  father's  profligacy :  I  never  gave  him  my 
consent  to  sign  that  deed,  and  those  mortgages,  whereby  I 
am  diseased  from  his  diseased  body ;  and  made  poor  by 
his  squandering  away  his  rich  estates.  Inasmuch,  then,  as 
I  never  gave  my  signature  nor  consent,  I  demand  back 
those  valuable  inheritances  lost  by  him,  my  sinning  father  ! 

Now,  I  leave  you  to  conceive  the  answer  of  the  court 
and  jury.  They  would  tenderly  request  the  proper  oflicer 
to  remove  the  unhappy  young  maniac  to  his  friends,  and 
a  proper  asylum.  And  for  what  earthly  reason  are  the  ob- 
jections here  treated  less   tenderly  1     Is  it  because  theolo- 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  129 

gical  mania  is  less  absurd  and  less  mischievous  than  civil 
mania  ? 

You  say — "  All  sin  lies  in  voluntary  action  :  no  man  will 
be  called,  or  held  to  account  for  any,  but  his  own  sin."  To 
this  I  reply, — if  so,  on  what  principle  of  equity,  law,  or 
justice,  is  the  little  babe  doomed  to  pains,  and  agony,  and 
death  ?  Solve  this  before  you  glory  in  the  resurrection  of 
the  often  refuted  Pelagius,  from  the  dead  ! 

"  All  sin  lies  in  voluntary  action."  This  is  a  curious 
truism.  All  sin  of  a  certain  kind,  lies  in  voluntary  ac- 
tion. That  is,  all  voluntary  sin  is  voluntary ;  all  actual  sin, 
is  actual  sin.  But,  what  do  you  call  that  of  the  infant  ? 
"In  Adam  all  die."  What  do  you  call  that  sin,  which 
causes  infants'  death  in  Adam?  Either  we  die  without 
sin :  or  the  helpless  infant,  incapable  of  action,  is  guilty 
of  voluntary  sinful  action  ;  or,  there  is  a  sin  incurred  in 
our  natural  and  federal  head,  which  is  distinct  from  that  of 
voluntary  action. 

Suppose  an  infant  were  to  present  the  plea,  that  "  all 
sin  lies  in  voluntary  action  ;"  now,  I  never  was  guilty  of 
voluntary  sin.  Hence,  I  demand  of  divine  justice,  that  I 
shall  not  die.  If  all  sin  lie  only  in  voluntary  action,  then 
do  infants  suffer,  and  die  without  a  sin,  without  a  cause, 
without  a  reason :  and  therefore  they  die  most  unjustly  ! 
I  pray  you  stand  up  before  your  just  Judge,  and  meet  the 
facts  of  infants'  death,  by  your  bold  theory ! 

"All  sin  lies  in  voluntary  acts  ;"  says  the  merchant, 
whose  agent  has  unfortunately  lost  all  his  goods,  and  has, 
moreover,  incurred,  officially,  a  ruinous  debt,  in  Lon- 
don. "  Now,  this  debt,"  continues  he,  "  I  will  not  pay. 
For  all  sin  lies  in  voluntary  action  :  all  debt  lies  in  per- 
sonal contracting ;  and  I  neither  contracted  this  debt  person- 
ally :  nor  give  my  consent  to  it  personally."  Let  our  ob- 
jector follow  him  into  a  civil  court,  and  hear  whether  the 
merchant  is  not  made  liable  for  his  accredited  agent's  debts. 
12 


130  OP    THE    COVENANT    OP    WORKS  ; 

Then  let  him  learn  whether  he  has  reason,  and  common 
sense  on  his  side,  to  sustain  the  resuscitations  of  Pelagius' 
extravagances. 

Yet,  after  all,  it  is  not  true  that  man  does  not  give  his 
consent  to  Adam's  first  sin.  He  does  actually  give  his 
full  and  overflowing  consent  to  it,  at  the  earliest  dawnings 
of  reason,  and  mind.  The  early  ebullitions  of  depravity, 
which  drown  reason,  and  the  early  dawn  of  the  mental  fa- 
culties, proclaim  this  actual  consent  to  Adam's  sin.  And 
this  only  completes  the  evidence  that  thou  gavest  thy  legal 
consent,  in  a  legal  way  in  thy  representative  Adam. 

Finally  :  I  have  only  to  beg  the  person  who  objects  to 
the  doctrine  of  Adam's  representation,  and  the  consequences 
of  his  sin  falling  upon  us,  to  consider  very  seriously  the 
fatal  results  of  his  theory.  The  apostle  establishes  in  Rom. 
v.  12 — 18,  the  doctrine  of  our  Redeemer's  representation 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  distinctly,  and  certainly,  as  that 
of  Adam  in  the  old  covenant.  Now,  if  you  deny  the  fact, 
and  the  correctness  of  the  principle  in  the  case  of  Adam, 
you  must  maintain  the  same  opposition  in  the  case  of  our 
Redeemer,  in  the  new  covenant.  If  it  were  wrong  in  prin- 
ciple, that  Adam  should  represent  you  in  his  covenant ;  it  is 
equally  wrong  in  principle,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
should  be  your  surety,  in  the  new  covenant.  If  it  be  wrong 
in  principle,  that  you  should  be  involved  in  Adam's  sin, 
without  your  consent ;  it  must  be  equally  wrong  in  princi- 
ple, that  you  should  reap  any  benefit  of  our  Redeemer's 
atonement,  without  your  consent,  given  to  it,  at  the  time 
when  he  died.  If  it  be  wrong  in  principle,  that  the  sin  of 
Adam  be  charged  on  you,  when  it  took  place  before  you 
were  born  ;  it  is  equally  wrong  in  principle,  that  Christ's 
righteousness  should  be  charged,  or  imputed  to  you,  when 
it  was  wrought  out  before  you  were  born.  If  it  be  wrong 
in  principle,  that  any  of  the  fruits,  or  consequences  of 
Adam's  sin  fall  on  you,  when,  as  you  say,  you  never  did, 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  131 

nor  could  give  your  consent  to  it,  at  the  time  ;  it  is  equal- 
ly wrong  in  principle,  that  any  one  benefit,  or  smallest 
boon  of  Christ's  suretyship  should  fall  to  your  lot,  when  you 
never  did,  nor  ever  could  give  your  consent  to  it,  at  the 
time.  For,  if  you  did  not  die  in  Adam,  it  is  certain  you 
cannot  be  made  alive  in  Christ.  If  you  share  not  in  the  doom 
of  the  one  representative,  you  cannot  on  any  honest  princi- 
ple, share  in  the  grace  and  restoration  of  the  other  repre- 
sentative. If  you  reject  Adam,  and  his  covenant,  you  must, 
for  the  same  reason,  reject  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
covenant  of  grace.  If  Adam  was  not  your  federal  head  ; 
then  was  not  Christ  your  federal  head  and  surety.  If  we 
do  not  inherit  sin,  and  death  in  Adam,  then  do  we  not  inhe- 
rit gi-ace,  and  eternal  life  in  Christ !  Take  these  things 
into  serious  consideration.  In  spite  of  all  the  speculations 
of  men,  a  practical  decision  on  these  points  involves  your 
everlasting  destinies  ! 

I  shall  here  present  my  young  reader  with  the  following 
luminous  exhibition  of  this  doctrine  by  one  of  the  greatest 
legal  characters  of  any  age  ;  and  a  most  singularly  learned 
and  pious  Christian.  I  mean  Sir  Mathew  Hale,  Lord  Chief 
Justice  of  England. 

"  God  made  man  righteous,  at  first,  and  gave  him  a 
righteous  law.  And  inasmuch  as  man  owed  an  infinite 
subjection  to  the  Author  of  his  being,  he  owed  an  exact 
obedience  to  the  law  of  his  Maker. 

"  Yet  God  was  pleased  to  give  him  this  law,  not  only  as 
the  rule  of  his  obedience,  but  as  a  covenant  of  life,  and  of 
death  ;  wherein,  1st.  Man  made  a  stipulation  for  himself, 
and  his  posterity.  And  this  was  just ;  for  he  had  in  him, 
the  race  of  all  mankind.  All  succeeding  generations  are 
but  pieces  of  Adam,  who  had  not,  and  could  not,  have  their 
being  but  from  him.  And  so  it  was  reasonable,  and  just 
for  him  to  contract  for  all  his  posterity.  And  as  it  was 
just  in  respect  of  the  person  contracting,  it  was  also  just  in 


132  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

the  manner  of  the  contract.  The  law,  which  was  his  cove- 
nant, is  a  just  and  righteous  law  ;  a  law  suitable  to  the  en- 
dowments, and  powers  of  his  nature. 

"  Again,  the  blessedness  which,  by  his  obedience,  he  was 
to  hold,  was  not  of  his  own  creating,  or  obtaining.  It  was 
the  free  gift  of  God.  And  it  was  reasonable  that  the  Lord 
of  this  gift,  might  give  it,  in  what  manner  he  pleased. 
And  it  could  not  be  unjust  that  the  Lord  who  gave  him 
this  blessedness,  should  give  it  to  him,  under  what  condi- 
tions he  pleased.  But,  he  gave  it  to  him  under  the  most 
reasonable,  and  just  condition  ;  namely, — an  obedience  to 
a  most  just,  and  most  reasonable  law,  which  suited  with  the 
ability,  and  perfection  of  his  nature. 

"  And,  therefore,  when,  upon  the  breach  of  the  covenant 
by  man,  he  withdrew  the  blessedness  from  him,  and  his  pos- 
terity, he  did  no  more  than  what  was  most  just  for  him  to 
do.  And,  thus,  we  stand  guilty  of  that  sin,  which  our  first 
father  committed  :  and  we  are  deprived  of  that  blessedness 
and  life,  which  our  first  father  once  had,  and  forfeited. 
And  the  privation  of  that  blessedness  and  immortdity  is 
death." 

aUESTIONS. 

In  what  state  was  man  originally  made  ? 

Wherein  does  a  law  differ  from  a  covenant  ? 

\^  as  man  placed  originally  under  a  covenant  ? 

TVTiat  was  that  covenant  called  1     Describe  it. 

Detail  its  parties. 

Was  justice  rendered  to  man,  as  a  party  in  it  1 

Rehearse  the  two  points  illustrating  this. 

Describe  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  works. 

Detail  the  penalty  thereof. 

Was  this  covenant  made  with  all  mankind  in  Adana  1 

Give  some  of  the  proofs  of  this. 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  133 

What  proof  on  this  matter  draw  you  from  the  death  of 
infants  ? 

Is  this  covenant  based  on  novel  principles,  or  on  such 
as  are  universally  received  in  civil  society  ? 

What  illustration  draw  you  from  the  practice  of  agency 
and  representation  in  the  mercantile  world? 

Is  not  the  same  principle  in  operation  in  every  family  ? 

"  I  never  consented  to  Adam's  sin," — how  answer  you 
this? 

"  All  sin  lies  in  voluntary  action," — how  answer  you 
this? 

Does  not  man,  after  all,  give  his  full  consent  in  a  hoof  old 
way,  to  this  sin  in  Adam  ? 

What  fatal  consequences  follow  from  the  denial  of  Adam's 
representation,  and  original  sin  ? 

What  was  the  opinion  of  Chief  Justice  Hale  on  this  doc- 
trine ? 

What  are  your  own  personal  views,  and  belief  on  these 
important  doctrines  ? — Express  them  fully. 

MEDITATION. 

I  bless  God  for  the  clear  light  shed  on  the  covenant  of 
works  with  Adam.  Herein  I  see  my  Blessed  Creator's 
glory  manifested.  Unsearchable  sovereignty  is  blended 
with  the  most  unmerited  goodness  in  this  transaction. 
Every  thing  here,  was  manifestly  in  man's  favour.  He  was 
made  perfect,  and  fully  capable  of  doing  all  that  was  re- 
quired of  him :  and  had  an  opportunity,  on  the  most  rea- 
sonable condition,  of  gaining  a  splendid  and  eternal  re- 
ward, for  himself,  and  every  one  of  his  numerous  offspring. 
Good  IS  the  Lord,  in  all  his  ways.  But,  alas !  Man  being 
in  honour  abode  not :  he  became  as  the  beasts  that  perish. 

I  will  sing  of  judgments  as  well  as  mercies,  0  my  God. 
I  dare  not  open  my  lips  to  justify  man,  or  impugn  thy  pur- 
poses, 0  Lord  !  And  I  would  mourn  over  man's  froward- 
12* 


134  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS; 

ness  and  his  reckless  doings.  Had  Adam  stood  fast  in  his 
integrity, — as  he  might  have  done, — and  procured  the  pro- 
mised reward,  not  one  son,  or  daughter  of  Adam  would  have 
manifested  any  scruple  about  accepting  the  reward,  and 
crown  for  Adam's  obedience. 

But,  inasmuch  as  it  happens,  that  we  are  involved  in  guilt 
and  misery,  man  dares  murmur  at  God's  dispensations. 
Man  dai^es  blame  God's  sovereignty,  while  we  overlook  his 
boundless  goodness,  and  our  own  inexcusable  apostacy ! 
Now,  man  blushes  not  to  entertain  the  thought  that,  had  he 
been  his  own  representative,  he  would  have  been  more  suc- 
cessful than  the  innocent  and  perfect  Adam. — I  charge  my 
soul,  and  all  within  me,  to  be  humbled  deeply  in  the  dust 
before  my  august  and  adorable  Creator.  Thou,  0  Lord, 
didst  all  things  well.  I  will  not  sit  in  judgment  on  thee. 
I  dare  not  sit  in  judgment  on  thee,  0  my  God !  Let  every 
thought,  and  every  emotion  of  my  soul,  be  schooled  down 
by  thy  blessed  word.  Oh,  Lord  !  what  am  I  in  thy  pre- 
sence !  Dare  I  elevate  my  mind,  or  plans,  or  wishes  above 
thy  law  ?  Dare  I  set  up  my  will  in  opposition  to  thy  su- 
preme and  awful  will !  Purify  my  soul,  and  heart,  0  Lord, 
for  the  reception  of  thy  truths.  Let  my  inquiry  simply  be, 
what  says  thy  law  ?  What  says  thy  word  on  this  ?  And 
finding  it  in  thy  holy  book,  help  me  to  bow  down,  and  pos- 
sess no  other  feeling  than  that  of  unfeigned  and  profound 
submission ! 

Adam  I  distinctly  recognize  as  my  covenant  head,  and 
most  suitable  representative.  I  could  not  have  had  a  better. 
May  I  be  delivered  from  selfishness,  ignorance,  and  pre- 
sumption in  this  matter.  My  consent  was  legally  given  in 
my  true  and  federal  head.  My  practical  consent  to  Adam's 
apostacy,  I  am  mortified  to  say,  is  one  of  the  earliest  and 
most  stubborn,  and  persevered  in  exercises  of  my  young 
mind.  I  am  guilty  before  my  Creator.  I  confess  it,  and 
deplore  it.     The  sin  of  my  nature  is  ever  rising  up  in  me, 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  135 

and  before  my  eyes.     The  fountain  of  pollution  ceases 
not  to  pour  out  its  streams  of  defilement,  and  death  ! 

But,  0  my  soul,  what  can  I  render  to  my  God  for  his 
ineffable  love,  and  mercy  !  By  Adam  I  fall,  but  by  Christ 
I  am  raised  into  life,  and  hope,  and  glory.  Bless  the  Lord, 
O  my  soul,  for  the  dispensation  of  grace  by  our  glorious  se- 
cond Adam. — For  the  intervention  of  Christ,  the  head  of 
the  new  covenant,  I  will  praise  and  bless  thee,  my  Heaven- 
ly Father,  for  ever  and  ever  ! 

A  PRAYER. 

0  Lord,  I  adore  thy  divine  goodness,  which  gave  us  thy 
primitive  law,  so  adapted  to  our  innocent  nature,  and  full 
ability.  The  fulfilling  of  that  law  consisted  in  love  to  thee, 
O  glorious  Creator  ;  and  in  obedience  to  thee,  to  whom  our 
souls  were  devoted  in  veneration  and  affection.  But,  I  am 
lost  in  wonder,  and  admiration,  as  often  as  I  think  of  thy 
amazing  goodness,  deigning  to  place  man  under  a  cove- 
nant. What  wonderful  love,  and  goodness,  surpassing  all 
thought !  What  a  divine  promise !  Life  everlasting,  glory 
eternal,  felicity  uninterrupted,  and  boundless  as  thy  own 
presence  !  And  all  these  secured  to  us,  on  this  one  befit- 
ting condition — that  of  loving  thee,  and  obeying  thee,  0  Lord 
God  !  A  task  most  easy,  and  delightful  to  our  souls  !  Oh ! 
what  could  man  have  wished  for  more,  from  their  bountiful 
Creator's  willing  hands  1 

But,  oh  !  what  shall  we  say ;  what  ca7i  we  plead  before 
thee,  0  God  !  Man,  being  in  honour,  abode  not ;  he  has 
become  as  the  beasts  that  perish.  Oh  injured  Lord  !  Oh ! 
insulted  sovereign,  how  can  we  lift  up  our  faces  before  thee ; 
or  oflTer  to  extenuate  our  crime  ?  We  have,  each  one  of  us, 
turned  to  our  own  sinful  way.  We  have  utterly  destroyed 
ourselves.  We  have  each  one  of  us,  "  like  Adam,  trans- 
gressed the  covenant ;  all  of  us  have  dealt  treacherously 


136  OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    WORKS  ; 

against  thee,  0  Lord."*  We  are  all  estranged  from  the 
womb  :  we  are  all  conceived  in  sin  ;  and  brought  forth  in 
iniquity.  We  confess,  and  deplore  it  before  thee.  Not 
one  of  the  human  family  has  escaped.  Had  man  been  put 
by  thee,  0  Lord,  on  his  own  personal  responsibility,  as  the 
angels  were  by  thee,  some  of  our  species  had  been  found 
faithful,  amid  the  faithless.  But  the  universal  ravages  of 
sin,  and  death  have  proved  us  all  involved  without  excep- 
tion, in  the  one  sin,  and  one  common  ruin  !  0  Lord,  we 
see  the  undeniable — the  confounding  evidence  of  this  uni- 
versal apostacy,  everywhere.  It  has  torn  the  love  of  thee 
from  every  heart ;  and  filled  us  with  hatred  against  thee.  It 
has  turned  whole  families  against  thee,  oh,  most  sovereign 
Lord  !  It  has  turned  cities  against  thee. — Nay,  the  whole 
human  family  throughout  the  world,  exhibits  one  undivided 
mass  of  hateful  and  desperate  rebels,  against  thee.  All  are 
guilty  with  Adam.  Every  mouth  must  be  shut ; — every  face 
covered  with  confusion  ;  and  all  the  world  become  guilty 
and  subject  to  thy  judgments,  0  God! 

But,  0  Lord,  blessed  be  thy  name,  thou  openest  a  door  of 
hope  for  us  in  the  valley  of  trouble.  There  is  a  covenant 
of  grace,  as  well  as  a  broken  covenant,  with  the  re-echoed 
curse.  There  is  a  second  Adam,  to  stand  up  in  our  name, 
as  our  head,  and  representative.  Give  me  grace,  0  Lord, 
to  be  wise  for  myself,  and  thy  glory.  Instead  of  "cover- 
ing my  sin,  like  Adam,"  let  me  fly  to  my  dear  Redeemer, 
Jesus,  with  all  the  burden  of  my  sin,  and  sorrows  !  Instead 
of  finding  fault  with  thy  most  sovereign  appointment  in  the 
constitution  of  the  old  covenant,  and  its  results, — Oh !  let 
me  haste  to  obtain  reparation,  and  a  glorious  deliverance  by 
the  new  covenant.  Instead  of  fretting,  and  repining  under 
the  fall  of  Adam,  and  blaming  man,  and  blaming  God, 
help  me,  0  Lord,  to  fly  forthwith  to  the  second  Adam,  my 

♦  Hosea  vi.  7. 


AND    THE    FALL    OF    MAN.  137 

head  and  representative,  and  Redeemer,  in  the  gracious  co- 
venant. If  Adam  fell ;  my  Redeemer  can  never  fail  me  ! 
If  all  is  gloomy  and  desperate  by  the  fall  of  man  in  Adam  ; 
all  is  joy,  and  hope,  and  glory  through  our  liOrd  Jesus 
Christ.     "  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  &c.  Amen. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  CONSEQUENCES  OF  OUR  FALL  IN  ADAM. 


I  deserved  it,  and  would  bear, 


My  own  deservings  ;  but  this  will  not  serve: 
All  that  I  eat,  or  drink,  or  shall  beget, 
Is  propagated  curse  !     O  voice  once  heard 
Delightfully,  increase  and  multiply. 
Now  Death  to  hear !     For  what  can  I  increase 
Or  multiply,  but  curses  on  my  head  ! 
"Who  of  all  ages  to  succeed,  but,  feeling 
The  evil  on  him  brought  by  me,  will  curse 
My  head  1     111  fare  our  ancestor  impure. 
For  this  we  may  thank  Adam !     But  his  thanks 
Shall  be  the  execration !     So,  besides 
Mine  own,  that  bide  upon  me,  all  from  me 
Shall  with  a  fierce  reflux,  on  me  rebound, 
On  me,  as  on  their  natural  centre,  light 
Heavy,  though  in  their  place  !     O  fleeting  joys 
Of  paradise,  dear  bought  with  lasting  pains !" 

Adam's  Lament  in  Milton. 


These  consequences  we  are  not  left  to  conjecture.  Uni- 
versal experience,  illumined  by  the  light  of  divine  truth, 
presses  them  on  us  with  irresistible  demonstration. 

First.  All  mankind  are  involved  in  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
first  sin.  This  we  present  to  you,  dear  youth,  as  the  ne- 
cessary conclusion  from  what  has  just  been  proved.     I 


THE    CONSEQUENCES,    ETC.  139 

need  only  add,  that  it  is  guilt,  not  the  pollution  of  Adam's 
sin,  that  is  imputed,  or  charged  to  us,  in  consequence  of 
our  sin  in  our  substitute.  And  guilt  means  the  obligation 
to  suffer  punishment  of  specifically  the  same  kind,  as  that 
of  Adam.  That  is  to  say — the  party  bound  with  the  prin- 
cipal, is  as  strictly  obligated  to  pay  the  debt  incurred,  as  is 
tlie  principal.  The  surety,  or  endorser,  must  suffer  with 
the  principal,  who  becomes  a  delinquent  debtor.  The 
children  of  Adam  must  suffer  with  their  natural  and  federal 
head.  The  spirit  of  God  has  expressly  declared  this  : — 
**  In  Adam  all  die."  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  sin  :  so  death  passed  upon  all  men  ; 
for  in  him  all  have  sinned."  ''By  the  one  man's  offence 
death  reigned  by  one."  "By  one  man's  disobedience 
many  were  made,  that  is,  legally  constituted,  sinners." 

Second.  All  mankind  sustained  the  forfeiture,  and  loss 
of  the  divine  image.  That  is  to  say,  we  forfeited  and  lost 
our  perfect  knowledge,  righteousness,  holiness,  and  immor- 
tality. God  had  given  us  the  first  three  of  these  traits  of 
his  image,  in  order  that  we  might  achieve  the  reward  of  the 
the  last,  namely,  eternal  life,  enhanced  with  every  blessing 
of  the  divine  bounty  heaped  upon  us,  on  earth,  and  finally 
in  heaven.  Our  apostacy  was  high  treason  against  the 
Supreme  Ruler  of  the  universe.  God  is  necessarily  just. 
Hence  followed  the  utter  loss  of  as  much  as  his  sovereign- 
ty chose  to  exact  of  all  that  we  had  forfeited.  He  might 
have  exacted  our  natural  faculties,  and  have  made  us 
a  terror  to  all  around  us.  He  might  have  exacted  our  for- 
feited being  ;  and  annihilated  the  whole  species,  genera- 
tion after  generation.  But  he  reserved  us  for  a  new  course 
of  discipline,  under  a  gracious  dispensation.  He  recalled 
from  us  the  forfeited  image  of  God.  And,  now,  in  giving 
being  to  each  child  of  Adam,  God  sustains  at  once  the  cha- 
racter of  Judge  and  Creator.  As  Creator,  he  gives  us  our 
existence ;  as  Judge,  he  creates  us  under  an  absence  of  the 


140  THE    CONSEQUENCES    OF 

forfeited  image.  He  does  not  create  us  sinners  ;  he  gives  us 
all  our  bodily  and  mental  powers.  But  his  strict  justice  de- 
nies us  the  image  of  God  which  we  treacherously  cast  from 
us.  The  voice  of  Scripture  unites  its  testimony  to  that 
of  universal  experience,  in  certifying  this  painful  truth. 
"Adam  begat  a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his 
image."  Hence  we  do  no  longer  bear  the  image  of 
God.  "  We  bear  the  image  of  the  earthy."  1  Cor.  xv.  49. 
"  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  is  faint ; 
from  the  sole  of  the  foot,  even  to  the  head,  there 
is  no  soundness  in  it."  Isai.  i.  5.  "  The  natural  man  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him  :  neither  can  he  know  them,  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned."  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  Hence 
"  man  is  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked." 
In  one  word,  "  we  are  dead  in  trespasses,  and  in  sins." 
And  this  has  been  the  deplorable  condition  of  man,  since 
the  hour  of  his  apostacy  from  God.  He  is  far  from  God  ; 
and  God  is  far  from  him.  "  Every  imagination  of 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart  has  been  evil  ;  and  only 
evil ;  and  that  continually."     Gen.  vi.  5. 

Third,  The  depravity  of  man  is  total,  and  universal. — It 
is  total :  for  no  one  faculty  of  the  soul,  nor  member  of  the 
body,  has  escaped  the  contamination,  and  moral  death.  It 
is  universal :  for  no  individual  of  the  whole  species,  has 
ever  been  discovered,  in  the  most  distant  isles,  or  most  se- 
cluded spots,  far  from  the  haunts  of  guilt,  and  pollution, 
who  has  ever  been  free  from  the  universal  sin  and  stain  ! 
"  The  Lord  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the  children  of 
men,  to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  understand,  and  seek 
God.  They  are  all  gone  aside  ;  they  are  altogether  be- 
come filthy  ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one  !" 
Ps.  xiv.  2,  3. 

Fourth,  Man  is  involved  in  the  guilt  of  innumerable 
actual  sins.     We  need  only  open  the  Scriptures,  to  see  the 


OUR   FALL    IN    ADAM.  141 

appalling  description  of  man,  therein  given  : — "  There  is 
none  righteous ;  no,  not  one.  Their  inward  part  is  very 
wickedness.  God  is  not  in  all  their  thoughts.  They  con- 
temn God  :  they  say  in  their  heart  God  will  not  require  an 
account  of  them.  There  is  no  faithfulness  in  their  mouth. 
Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre :  with  their  tongues  they 
have  used  deceit :  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips  : 
their  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness  :  their  feet  are 
swift  to  shed  blood  :  destruction  and  misery  are  in  their 
ways!"     Rom.  iii.  10 — 19. 

And,  shocking  as  this  description  is,  we  need  only  study 
the  history  of  our  own  hearts,  and  lives  :  and  the  history  of 
those  around  us,  and  the  history  of  the  kingdoms  of  this  world, 
to  verify  the  dreadful  truth.  Universal  history  is  just  one  con- 
tinuous chain  of  testimony  to  these  appalling  facts  in  our  moral 
condition.  Cast  your  eyes  even  over  the  nations,  considered 
the  most  civilized.  What  frauds,  and  treachery,  and  injustice  ! 
What  crimes  against  God,and  man,  perpetrated  in  cold  blood ! 
What  scenes  of  robbery,  and  theft,  and  revolting  pollutions  ! 
What  scenes  of  murder,  disgracing  families,  and  neighbour- 
hoods !  What  bloody  and  revolting  wars,  spreading  wild 
desolation  over  whole  provinces,  and  kingdoms  !  Look 
into  the  legislative  assemblies.  Is  the  fear  of  God  there  ? 
Has  his  blessed  word  any  place  there  ?  Look  into  our 
courts  of  justice.  What  revolting  crimes  are  daily  reveal- 
ed 1  What  chicanery,  what  injustice  !  Our  cities  are  con- 
verted into  so  many  Sodoms,  and  Gomorrahs  !  Look  into 
our  quietest  villages,  and  hamlets,  and  cottages.  With 
what  enormities  is  their  history  stained  ! 

Now,  since  every  sin  deserves  God's  wrath,  and  heavy 
visitation,  what  must  the  whole  amount  of  each  man's  sins 
deserve  at  the  hand  of  divine  retribution  ? 

Fifth.  E  very  man  is,  in  his  natural  state,  actually  under 
sentence  of  death.  He  is  a  condemned  criminal,  await- 
ing the  opening  of  the  prison   door,  to  be  led  forth  to  exe- 

13 


142  THE    CONSEQUENCES    OP 

cution.  This  necessarily  follows  from  the  relations  which 
guilty  man  holds  to  divine  justice.  All  his  sins  lie  open 
to  the  eyes  of  infinite  purity.  The  God  of  spotless  purity 
cannot  be  indifferent  to  it ;  and  he  cannot,  surely,  approve 
of  it.  If  so,  then  he  cannot  but  condemn  it,  and  visit  its 
terrific  punishment  on  the  guilty.  Hence  every  unconvert- 
ed man  is  actually  under  the  sentence  of  death, — a  con- 
demned criminal !  What  a  mortifying  and  appalling  con- 
sideration to  the  reflecting  mind.  And  the  strength  of  its 
evidence  lends  a  terrific  force  to  the  overwhelming  truth. 

"  Thou,  0  mighty  God,  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
evil  ;  and  thou  canst  not  look  on  iniquity."  "  The  Lord 
is  slow  to  anger,  and  great  in  power  ;  and  he  will  not  at 
all,  acquit  the  wicked."  And  the  Judge  of  the  quick  and 
the  dead,  has  added  this  testimony  : — "  He  that  believeth  on 
the  Son  of  God  is  not  condemned  :  but  he  that  believeth 
not,  IS  CONDEMNED  ALREADY."  John  ill.  18.  And  this  is 
the  first  thing  which  the  awakened  conscience  feels  :  he  is 
condemned  by  law  and  justice. 

Sixth.  Every  child  of  Adam,  in  his  fallen  state,  is  under 
the  dominion,  and  tyranny  of  Satan.  This  is  another  mor- 
tifying truth  of  the  gospel :  and  hence  it  is  received  by 
the  world,  with  scorn,  and  disgust.  To  such  an  alarming 
extent  has  the  too  successful  delusion  of  Satan  been  carried, 
that  man  has  been  induced  to  deny  even  the  existence,  and 
operations  of  the  god  of  this  world, — his  own  master !  2 
Cor.  iv.  4.  Now,  this  contradicts  no  principle  of  reason, 
or  sound  philosophy.  It  is  manifest  from  the  word  of  God 
that  there  are  good  spirits,  and  evil  spirits,  in  constant  in- 
tercourse with  us,  in  their  mysterious  operations.  These, 
it  must  be  allowed,  can  operate  as  readily  on  each  other, 
and  on  us,  as  do  our  souls  on  our  bodies,  and  on  the  souls 
of  others.  And  what  these  spirits,  both  angels  and  de- 
mons, can  do,  they  are  willing  to  do.  Experience  and  facts 
confirm  this.  Thus  far  can  reason  and  philosophy  grope  their 


OUR    FALL    IN    ADAM.  143 

way,  in  this  mysterious  and  interesting  subject.  But  the 
Bible  throws  the  fullest  light  of  demonstration  on  it.  I 
quote,  at  present,  only  what  has  a  reference  to  the  dominion 
and  powers  of  Satan.  "  Your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a 
roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour." 
1  Pet.  V.  8.  "  The  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the 
spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience." 
Eph.  ii.  2.  "  The  great  dragon,  the  old  serpent,  called  the 
devil,  and  Satan,  deceiveth  the  whole  world."  Rev.  xii.  9. 
"  We  wrestle  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against 
the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places."  Eph.  vi.  12. 

From  these  remarkable  hints,  it  is  evident  that  Satan,  at 
the  head  of  his  kingdom,  operates  by  an  organized  body, 
against  Christ's  kingdom  ;  that  he  claims  unconverted 
men  as  his  subjects ;  that  he  icorks  in  them  as  his  victims ; 
that  he  operates  as  a  serpent,  with  deep  and  malignant  cun- 
ning, seducing  men  to  their  final  undoing  ;  and  as  a  roar- 
ing lion,  with  fury  and  power,  restrainable  only  by  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  How  dreadful  the  condition  of  all  men, 
who  are  wholly  under  this  dominion,  and  tyranny  of  Satan, 
and  his  hosts  of  demons  !  And  yet,  what  a  small  degree  of 
alarm  does  it  excite  among  the  sons  of  men ! 

Seventh.  Man  stands  exposed  to  all  the  miseries  conse- 
quent on  these  conditions.  "  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked 
every  day."  His  anger  is  nothing  else  than  the  holy  dis- 
plays of  his  purity,  and  justice,  wielded  by  Almighty  power 
against  sinners.  And  hence,  by  the  law  of  God's  nature, 
his  justice  does  as  necessarily  consume  the  sinner,  as  the 
raging  flame  does  necessarily  devour  the  dry  stubble.  The 
sweeping  of  the  dry  stubble  into  the  roaring  flames,  doea 
not  more  necessarily  result  in  its  being  entirely  consumed, 
than  does  the  approach  of  the  finally  impenitent  sinner  to 
the  bar  of  divine  justice,  issue  in  his  everlasting  burnings 
inhell !     0  !  how  deplorable  is  the  condition  of  fallen  man  ! 


144  THE    CONSEQUENCES    OF 

He  is  exposed  to  all  the  complicated  miseries  of  this  life  ; 
to  death  itself ;  and  to  the  pains  of  hell  for  ever  ! 

Finally : — Man  is  utterly  helpless.     He  has,  in  his  natu- 
ral state,  neither  the  will,  nor  the  power  to  extricate  himself 
from  this  deplorable  condition.     He  has,  it  is  true,  all  the 
physical  and  mental  powers  he   ever  had.     But  these  are 
paralyzed  by  spiritual  death.     "  He  is  dead  in  trespasses, 
and  in  sins."     The  man  that  is  dead,  cannot  do  the  small- 
est action  of  life.     The  soul  that  is  dead,  cannot  do  the 
smallest  actions  of  holy  life,  until  he  is  born  again,  and  made 
alive   in  Jesus.     His  physical  powers,  it  is   true,  can  do 
physical  actions.     His  moral  powers  can  do  moral  actions, 
deranged,  and  weakened  by  sin  though   they  are.     But  to 
do  spiritual  functions,  and  render  holy  acts  of  obedience  to 
God.  we  ]^]2U2t  hiY?  riew  life,  and  sniritnal  dls^CsiticHS  5,11  d 
capacities.     To  tell  me  that  I  can,  by  my  natural  powers, 
as  an  unconverted  sinner,  do  spiritual   and  holy  actions,  is 
as  unphilosophical,  and  as  absurd,  as  it  would  be  to  persuade 
me  that  by  my  natural  eyes,  I  can   see  spirits  ;  or  by  my 
hands,  I    can  lay  hold    upon    angels!     That   fallen   man 
has   not  the  will  to  extricate  himself,  is  manifest  from 
what  our  Lord  says, — "Ye  will  not  come  unto  me  that 
ye  may  have  life."     And,  again  ;  since  God  assures  us  that 
"  He  works  in  us  to  will,"  it  is  quite  evident  that  we  do 
not  ourselves  possess  the  will.     And  that  man,  in  his  fallen 
state,  possesses  not  the  powek,  is  equally  evident  from 
our  Lord's  words  : — "  No  man   can  come   to  me,  except 
the  Father  who  sent  me,  draw  him."  John  vi.  44.     And  it 
is  equally  manifest  from  the  passage  quoted,  that,  inasmuch 
as  God  does  work  in  us  both  to  do,  and  to  will,  we  are  by 
nature  as  destitute  of  the  ability  to  act,  as  we  are  of  the  will 
to  come  unto  God. 

And  let  no  man  deceive  you,  my  dear  youth,  in  this  mat- 
ter. I  urge  this  point  very  earnestly  on  your  consciences. 
The  doctrine  that  man,  while  dead  in  sin,  does  possess  the 


OUR    FALL    IN    ADAM.  145 

will,  or  the  ability  in  himself,  is  as  fatal,  as  it  is  unscriptu- 
ral.  I  would  shut  you  up  under  the  deep  conviction  of  your 
utter  incapacity  ;  and  absolute  helplessness.  For,  just  in 
proportion  as  you  feel  this,  you  will  be  constrained,  and 
urged  on  to  the  use  of  all  appointed  means,  to  seek  life,  and 
will,  and  capacity  from  him  who  is  the  resurrection,  and  the 
life.  On  the  contrary,  did  I  take  upon  me  to  persuade  you 
that  you  have  power,  and  ability  in  yourself  to  turn  to  God, 
and  to  change  your  own  heart,  in  true  regeneration  ;  then 
should  I  be  guilty  of  throwing  you  back  on  your  own  ima- 
ginary resources  ;  and  thence  impiously  turning  you  away 
from  your  only  hope,  and  help, — Christ  Jesus  ;  and  away 
from  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  alone  can  quicken  you  ;  and 
away  from  your  Heavenly  Father,  who  alone  can  "work  in 
you  both  to  will,  and  to  do."  In  thus  holding  up  flattering 
delusions,  I  should  have  the  blood  of  souls  resting  on  my 
conscience  ;  and  I  could  not  help  hearing  the  cry  of  souls 
perishing  under  my  false  guidance ! 

aUESTIONS. 

From  what  sources  gather  we  the  evidence  of  the  fatal 
effects  of  Adam's  first  sin  upon  us  all? 

What  is  the  first  fatal  consequence  of  our  fall  in  Adam  1 
What  is  imputed  to  us  ?     How  prove  you  this  t 
What  is  the  second  consequence  1 
Wherein  consisted  the  image  of  God  which  we  lost? 
How  prove  you  this  loss  ? 

When  God  creates  us,  does  he  make  us  sinners  ? 
What  is  the  third  fatal  effect  of  our  fall  ? 
What  is  human  depravity  ? 
Why  call  you  it  total  ?     Why  universal  ? 
How  prove  you  this  ? 
What  is  the  fourth  consequence  ? 
Give  the  proof  of  this  from  Scripture  ? 
Can  you  prove  it  from  history,  and  human  experience  ? 
13* 


146  THE    CONSEQUENCES    OF 

What  does  every  sin  deserve  ? 

What  is  the  Jifih  consequence  ? 

What  are  the  tivo  sources  of  the  proof  of  this  ? 

What  is  the  sixth  fatal  effect  of  the  fall  1 

Give  the  proof  of  this. 

How  does  Satan  exert  his  malice,  and  power  on  man  1 

What  is  the  seventh  fatal  effect  of  man's  fall  ? 

Can  man  extricate  himself  from  all  these  miseries  ? 

Give  the  proof  of  this. 

What,  say  you,  are  the  practical  results  of  the  belief  that 
man  has  the  will,  or  the  ability  in  himself  to  remedy  these 
evils  ? 

What  are  the  practical  results  of  the  belief  that  man  is 
utterly  helpless  in  himself? 

How  feel  you,  dear  youth,  under  all  these  dreadful  mise- 
ries? 

What  is  your  own  conviction,  and  experience  as  to  your 
ability,  or  inability,  to  relieve  yourself  from  these  appalling 
evils  ? 

MEDITATION. 

— ■- — "  Man  disobeying, 
Disloyal,  breaks  his  fealty,  and  sins 
Against  the  high  supremacy  of  Heaven ; 
Affecting  Godhead,  and,  so  losing  all, 
To  expiate  his  treason,  hath  nought  left, 
But,  to  destruction  sacred,  and  devote. 
He  with  his  whole  posterity — must  die: — 
Die  he,  or  Justice  must !     Unless  for  him 
Some  other  able,  and  as  willing,  pay 
The  rigid  satisfaction— death  for  death  !" 

Milton, 

I  may  yield  a  cold  assent  to  these  things,  as  to  some  mere 
theory  in  science.  But  this  is  not  enough.  I  must  feel 
them.     My  conscience  must  be  bowed  down  under  them  ; 


OUR    FALL    IN    ADAM.  147 

and  overwhelmed  by  them.  The  guilty  mind,  by  the  very 
law  of  its  depravity,  labours  to  stave  off  the  evidence  of  its 
guilt.  But,  its  efforts  are  to  no  purpose.  Beyond  contro- 
versy, all  of  us  are  guilty  with  Adam,  in  his  first  sin.  0 
my  soul,  thou  canst  not  conceal  it.  I  cannot  persuade  my- 
self to  the  contrary.  Should  I  attempt  to  justify  myself,  my 
whole  soul,  conscience,  and  heart,  and  the  word  of  God, 
would  rise  up  as  witnesses  against  me,  to  condemn  me. 

Were  I  not  guilty  of  this  first  sin,  I  should  not,  in  early 
infancy,  and  childhood,  have  been  without  the  image  of  God. 
I  should  have  been  joyful  in  perfect  innocence ;  and  ex- 
empted from  every  pain  of  mind,  and  body.     For,  the  guilt- 
less cannot  suffer. — But,  0  my  soul,  how  painfully  have  I 
felt  the  reverse  of  this  !     Instead  of  exemption  from  pain, 
what  sorrows,  and  afflictions  have  fallen  to  my  lot,  in  this 
vale  of  tears  !     Instead  of  innocence,  and  perfection,  vani- 
ty has  occupied  my  mind :  my  whole  soul  has  been  aliena- 
ted from  God,  in  wicked  devices,  and  works. — Did  I  ever, 
in  my  fallen  state,  feel  a  law  of  holiness  in  me,  naturally 
and  sweetly  constraining  me  away  from  vanity,  to  the  living 
God  ;  and  raising  in  me  holy  aspirations,  and  overpowering 
affections  to  thee,  My  God  ?    Oh  !    no,  no.     Cast  out  from 
thy  presence  ;  fallen,  wounded,  and  slain,  I  have  found  my 
soul  grovelling  in  the  beggarly  things  of  earth,  and  feeding 
on  ashes.     Have  I  been  delighted,  and  charmed   by  God's 
blessed  word ;  and  have  I  panted  after  communion   with 
thee,  0  God  ?     No,  no  :   from  my  earliest  years  have  I  pre- 
ferred the  idle  imagination,  and  vain  productions  of  worldly 
men,  to  the  divine  revelations  of  the  Holy  One.     Have  I 
steadily  set  the  Lord  before  me  1     Have  I,  with  unwaver- 
ing love,  sought  his  presence  in  every  created  object  ?    Have 
I  looked  for  his  power,  and  goodness  in  the  varied  works  of 
his  creation,  and  providence  ?     Have  I  traced  his  beauty 
and  glory,  with  a  holy  enthusiasm,  over  the  fields  of  his  dis- 
plays in  his  word,  and  in  his  works  1     No,  no  :  I  am  mor- 


148  THE    CONSEQUENCES    OF 

tified  at  my  vanity,  and  folly,  and  degradation.  Dust  and 
ashes  have  I  preferred  to  the  pure  and  ravishing  pleasures  of 
his  presence  ;  and  the  beggarly  elements  of  time,  and  of 
sense,  to  the  intellectual  joys,  and  imperishable  glory  of 
paradise ! 

Need  I  farther  proof?  Look,  my  soul,  into  thy  uniform 
habits,  and  daily  acts.  What  mortifying  proofs  are  here? 
This  feeble  intellect ;  this  wavering  judgment ;  this  unset- 
tled heart,  panting  in  the  race  of  ambition  ;  and  seeking 
after  every  thing, — ^but  God  only  ;  this  polluted  and  deceit- 
ful conscience  ;  this  vain  and  trifling  imagination  ;  this 
froward  will ;  these  roving  desires ;  these  extravagant  and 
unruly  passions ;  these  sensual  appetites,  setting  at  defiance 
all  order,  law,  and  purity : — all  proclaim  my  helpless  and 
most  deplorable  condition  !  O  my  God,  I  am  ashamed  and 
confounded  before  Thee.  Here  I  throw  myself  in  the  dust 
at  thy  feet.  I  relinquish  my  pride.  I  accept  of  the  punish- 
ment of  mine  iniquities.  I  feel  my  guilt ;  and  the  cruel 
yoke  of  Satan's  bondage  crushing  me.  There  is  no  help 
in  man.  I  am  utterly  powerless.  Oh  !  my  God,  unless  I 
am  ransomed  and  extricated,  by  a.  substitute  of  thy  own 
choice,  even  by  One  mighty  to  save,  I  shall  perish  for 
ever  and  ever  !     Lord,  save  me  ;  or,  I  perish ! 

A  PRAYER. 

0  God,  have  mercy  upon  me,  according  to  thy  loving- 
kindness  ;  according  to  the  abundance  of  thy  tender  mer- 
cies blot  out  all  my  transgressions.  At  the  foot  of  thy 
throne,  I  throw  me  down.  I  cast  myself  over  on  thy  mer- 
cy. I  humbly  confess  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  that  I  have  no 
merit,  no  sacrifice,  no  offering  to  bring  before  thee,  by  way 
of  recompense,  or  satisfaction.  Tears  and  penitential 
sorrows  cannot  atone  even  to  human  justice  for  sins  against 
human  laws.  How  can  they  avail  to  blot  out  the  infinite 
claims  of  God's  eternal  justice ! — I  confess  mine  iniquities  ; 


OUR    FALL    IN    ADAM.  149 

and  my  sins  are  ever  before  me.     Which  way  soever  I  be- 
take myself,  they  stare  me  in  the  face,  and  cry  out  for  jus- 
tice against  me.     And  I  can  frame  no  excuse  for  them.     I 
can  conceive  no  apology  for  the  least  of  them,  which  can 
satisfy  my  own  conscience.     How  can  I  then  devise  an  ex- 
cuse for  them,  0  Lord,  ISefore  thy  all-seeing  and  most  pure 
eyes  !     I  have,  like  Adam,  transgressed  the  covenant ;  there 
have  I  dealt  treacherously  with  thee.     But,  0  my  God,  I 
will  not  cover  my  transgressions  as  Adam  did.     Nor  will  I 
hide  mine  iniquity  in  my  bosom.     I  would  acknowledge 
freely  my  guilt,  in  my  wilful,  and  wicked  apostacy,   from 
thee.     I  will  not  add  treachery  to  guilt,  by  seeking  to  ex- 
cuse, or  even  to  extenuate  my  crimes,  by  offering  to  roll  the 
blame  over  on  Adam,  as  he  did  on  Eve,  and  as  she  did  on 
ths  5Cr"£llt.     JN^Or   0  m^  God.  can  I  venture  to  insinuate 
that  thou,  my  Creator,   art  the  cause  of  my  guiltiness,  by 
giving   me  these   passions,  and    desires.     I   acknowledge 
these  powers,  and  faculties  of  mine  to  be  thy  rich  and  so- 
vereign gifts.     But,  0   Lord,    it  is    my   sin, — the  fruits, 
— the  bitter,  and  deadly  fruits  of  my  own  wicked  apostacy 
from  thee,   that   these  passions  and   desires  have  become 
*^  wild  and  strong."  And  when  I  listen  to  their  "  bewitching 
voice,"  and  err  grievously  against  thee,  it  is  the  fatal  fruit  of 
the  guilt  of  my  own  evil  doings  !     Thou,   O   Lord,  hast 
made  man  upright,  but  he  has  sought  out  many  inventions. 
I  humbly  confess  it,  and  bewail  it.     Behold,  I   was  shapen 
in  sin  ;  and  in  iniquity  did  my  mother   conceive  me.     I 
brought  a  corrupt  nature   into  the  world  with  me ;  I  had, 
from  the  earliest  dawn  of  my  being,  the  seeds  of  all  sin 
in  my  corrupt  soul ;  and  the  snares  of  all  sin  in  my  flesh  ; 
and  the  deep  and  unwashed  stain  of  all  sin  in  both  soul, 
and  body. 

I  bewail  the  loss  of  the  divine  image, — the  fruit  of  my 
apostacy.  I  lament  the  total  depravity  of  my  nature.  I 
am  vile  in  thy  sight.     Mine  iniquities  have  taken  such  a 


150  THE    CONSEQUENCES,    ETC. 

hold  of  me,  that  I  cannot  look  up.  For,  to  all  my  original 
guilt,  I  have  added  innumerable  actual  sins  ;  and  there  is 
no  soundness  in  me  ! 

0  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment  with  me  ;  for  in  thy 
sight,  no  flesh  living  can  be  justified  by  human  wisdom,  or 
merit.  Guilty,  condemned,  and  a  slave  to  Satan,  as  I  am, 
I  lift  up  my  weeping  eyes  unto  thee,  O  Lord.  With  thee 
there  is  forgiveness,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared.  Have 
mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord ;  for  thy  name's  sake,  pardon  my 
iniquity,  for  it  is  very  great.  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner. Help,  Lord,  or  I  perish.  Out  of  the  deeps  do  I  cry 
unto  thee,  0  Lord.  0  Lord,  hear  my  voice  ;  let  thine  ears 
be  attentive  to  the  voice  of  my  supplications.  I  wait  for 
thee,  O  God  ;  my  soul  doth  wait.  In  thy  word  do  I  hope  ; 
for,  with  thee  there  is  mercy,  and  plenteous  redemption ;  and 
thou  wilt  redeem  me,  0  my  God,  from  all  my  iniquities. 
For,  Christ  Jesus  came  into  our  world,  to  seek  and  to  save 
such  poor  and  helpless  sinners,  as  I  am.  For  his  sake 
hear  me,  O  Lord.  And  let  not  this  broken  and  contrite 
heart  be  despised  before  thee ;  and  glory  shall  be  thine  in 
Christ,  for  ever,  and  ever.  "  Our  Father,  who  art  in  hea-. 
yen ;  hallowed  be  thy  name,"  &c.  Amen. 


CHAPTER  Vm. 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 

"  O  love  divine !    O  mercy  infinite  ! 

O  love,  all  height  above,  all  depth  below, 

Surpassing  far  all  knowledge,  all  desire, 

All  thought !     The  Holy  One  for  sinners  dies  t 

The  Lord  of  life  for  guilty  rebels  bleeds, 

duenches  eternal  fire  with  blood  divine  ! 

Abundant  mercy  !     Overflowing  grace ! 

POLLOK. 


In  view  of  this  helpless  and  deplorable  condition  of  man, 
two  propositions  are  submitted  to  the  attention,  and  faith  of 
our  young  inquirers. 

First :  Any  intervention  on  the  part  of  God,  on  our  be- 
half, must  be  wholly  of  free  grace.  Should  he  pluck  the 
brand  out  of  the  devouring  fire,  it  must  be  the  gratuitous 
act  of  his  mercy  alone.  Without  violating  his  honour,he  may- 
do  it :  or  he  may  not  do  it.  Again,  for  the  same  reason, 
he  may  do  it,  in  the  case  of  some  ;  and  he  may  not  do  it,  in 
the  case  of  others.  Surely  the  Almighty  is  not  bound  by 
any  attribute  of  his  nature,  far  less  by  any  necessity,  to 
spare  guilty  rebels  ;  or  receive  sinners  into  his  favour. 
But  his  throne  is  established  in  justice,  and  judgment. 
Every  attribute  of  his  nature  requires  that  he  be  holy,  just, 
and  faithful  in  all  his  ways.     The  Scriptures  are  explicit  on 


162  OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 

this.  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God  merciful  and  gracious, 
long-suffering,  abundant  in  goodness,  and  truth ;  keeping 
mercy  for  thousands  ;  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression,  and 
sin,  and  who  will  by  no  means,  clear  the  guilty." 
Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  "  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will 
have  mercy." 

And  there  are  hvo  extraordinary  points  in  the  history  of 
his  unsearchable  ways,  which  set  to  rest  all  doubts  on  this 
matter ;  namely,  his  terrible,  and  unmitigated  justice  toward 
Satan,  and  his  guilty  associates ;  and  the  harmony  of  his 
justice,  and  mercy  in  man's  salvation.  Who  can,  by  search- 
ing find  out  the  cause  of  the  difference  of  his  proceedings 
towards  these  two  equally  guilty  classes  of  rebels  ?  "  Even  so, 
Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight,"  to  do  the  one, 
and  the  other.  No  other  solution  can  be  found,  than  in  the 
divine  sovereignty.  To  attempt  any  other  solution,  is  to 
rise  up  in  arms  against  the  sovereignty  of  Almighty  God. 

Second  : — If  ever  we  be  saved,  it  must  be  by  a  substi- 
tute. God  has  "  driven  the  man  out  of  paradise  ;  and  he 
has  placed  cherubim,  and  a  flaming  sword,  which  turned 
every  way,"  to  keep  the  rebel  from  regaining  paradise. 
Unless  a  new  and  living  Avay  be  opened  up  to  it,  by  one 
MIGHTY  TO  SAVE,  he  ncvcr  can  enter  heaven.  Three  per- 
fections guard  the  gate  of  heaven  against  man,  exiled  as  he 
is,  from  paradise.  Divine  justice  stands  there  ;  and  turns 
his  flaming  sword  against  him  for  ever,  unless  he  render  sa- 
tisfaction "  to  the  uttermost"  for  his  guilt.  Divine  holi- 
ness stands  there,  and  demands  of  him  the  restoration  of  a 
perfect  holy  human  nature,  before  it  will  open  the  new  way 
unto  him.  An  unconverted  man  bears  a  hell  in  his  own 
bosom.  And  heaven  would  be  no  heaven  to  him,  unless  he 
was  rid  of  this  by  a  renovated  nature.  Divine  faithful- 
ness stands  there,  to  redeem  God's  pledge,  that  every 
threatening  shall  be  fulfilled  on  the  sinner,  and  the  eternal 
law  of  his  government  sustained  in  all  its  stainless  lustre. 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE.  153 

Now,  of  all  the  delusions  which  beguile  the  sons  of  men, 
the  most  common,  and  most  fatal  are  those  which  are 
cherished  respecting  God's  justice.  One  class  of  men 
gravely  imagine  that  "  God  is  like  themselves,  and  approves 
their  sins."  Another  deems  all  sins  venial,  in  his  forbear- 
ance. And  by  far  the  most  numerous  class  conceives  him 
to  be  altogether  mercy,  without  any  rigid  justice.  But,  it 
is  easy  to  see  that  were  this  character  of  their  God  trans- 
ferred to  a  magistrate,  he  would  actually  be  deemed  a  mon- 
ster. Yes,  a  magistrate  all  mercy,  without  justice  would  be 
a  monster!  And  it  is  easy  to  see  that  "a  God  all  mercy 
is  a  God  unjust."  And  as  there  is  no  finite  thing  in  God, 
if  he  be  unjust,  he  must  be  infinitely  unjust ;  and  therefore 
worse  than  the  leader  of  the  fallen  angels  !  Yet  this  hor- 
rid delusion  of  man  is  cherished  by  countless  thousands  of 
the  species  I 

Connected  with  this,  is  the  delusion  of  those  who  build 
what  slender  hopes  they  have  of  heaven,  on  the  merit  of 
their  prayers,  and  tears,  and  repentance,  and  agonies  of  suffer- 
ing. Yet  even  common  sense  tells  us  that  these  avail  no- 
thing in  staving  off  the  righteous  exactions  of  even  human 
justice,  in  the  day  when  it  demands  the  public  officer  to 
render  up  the  criminal  to  the  gibbet !  Do  the  prayers,  and 
tears,  and  deepest  penitence,  and  unheard-of  sufferings,  in 
the  least,  mitigate  human  justice,  or  satisfy  the  claims  of 
human  laws  !  No,  no  !  And  how  can  these  appease  infi- 
nite justice,  or  satisfy  the  most  holy  laws  of  God's  govern- 
ment? 

There  is  a  spirit  of  unutterable  frowardness  in  man, 
which  prompts  him  to  rely  on  human  "  men7,"  and  "  good 
works.^' 

In  the  1st  place,  it  is  denied  that  thou  hast  in  any  degree, 
human  merit,  or  any  "  good  works"  to  offer  to  thy  God. 
That  thou  hast  many  good  works  toward  thy  fellow  men, 
and  in  the  circle  of  thy  family,   I  will  readily  admit.     But, 

14 


154 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 


before  the  infinitely  pure  and  holy  God,  who  cannot  look 
upon  sin,  and  who  sees  thy  best  deeds  polluted  with  more 
guilt  than  merit,  thou  hast  not  one  single  good  work  ;  nor 
any  human  merit  which  thou  canst  offer  to  Him,  without 
confusion  and  despair  ! 

In  the  2d  place  ;  Let  us  suppose  that  thou  couldst  by  thy 
merit  and  ^^  good  ivorks"  find  thy  way  into  heaven  ;  without 
faith  in  the  Redeemer's  atonement :  let  us  suppose  that  thou 
couldst  be  purified  by  the  flames  of  a  purifying  torment,  or 
by  any  other  way, — what  would  be  the  consequences  ? 
Couldst  thou  join  in  the  song  of  the  ransomed,  who  entered 
heaven  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  ?  Couldst  thou  celebrate  the 
Father's  love  1  Couldst  thou  crown  Jesus,  Lord  of  all,  as 
the  loud  chorus  re-echoed  from  every  lip,  "Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  to  receive  glory  and  honour,  who  has  redeemed  us  by 
his  own  blood  !"  No  ;  if  tliou  speakest  truth  in  heaven, 
thou  would  tell  God  that  thou  art  7iot  indebted  to  his  love  ; 
and  that  of  the  Redeemer  ;  that  thou  hast  reached  glory  in 
heaven,  without  his  atonement,  or  intercession !  What 
would  be  the  consequence?  Why,  none  of  the  ransomed 
would  come  near  thee.  None  of  the  angels  would  cast  a 
look  of  love  on  thee.  They  would  visit  thee  with  wither- 
ing looks  of  indignation.  Nay,  either  thou, — or  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  behoved  to  leave  the  glorious  assembly  of 
heaven  !  Thou  canst  not  dwell  where  he  sheds  forth  the 
glory  of  his  redeeming  love! 

But,  were  man  gravely  to  set  himself  to  work  out  his 
own  heaven,  after  the  manner  in  which  some  indulge  their 
slender  hopes  of  it,  he  behoved  to  accomplish  the  following 
absolute  impossibilities  : — 

1st.  He  must  commence  the  impossible  work  of  repara- 
tion to  God,  by  presenting  himself  before  his  Maker,  in  a 
perfectly  holy  human  nature,  such  as  that  was,  which  man 
wantonly  threw  away,  when  he  fell.  You  will  admit  that 
this  mu<t  be  done ;  or  else  admit  that  there  was  no  guilt  in- 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE.  156 

curred  in  losing  the  divine  image.  You  must  admit  this,  or 
else  admit  that  you  can  go  through  with  the  whole  work  of 
reparation,  while  you  are  yet  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 

2d.  You  must  enter  upon  an  exact  course  of  obedience 
to  all  God's  laws.  You  must  come  fully  up  to  every  re- 
quirement, in  every  word,  in  every  action,  in  every  desire 
and  thought.  And  this  must  be  done  without  one  slight 
deviation,  without  one  short-coming,  and  without  one 
transgression.  And  finally,  all  this  must  be  done  from 
your  earliest  infancy  to  your  latest  breath.  This  is  a  second 
class  of  impossibilities. 

3d.  You  must  meet  the  claims  of  God's  justice,  and 
give  satisfaction  by  suffering  for  all  past  guilt.  "  Without 
shedding  of  blood,  there  is  no  remission."  For  "  God  will 
by  no  means,  clear  the  guilty," — that  is,  without  an  ade- 
quate satisfaction.  Guilt  is  that  element  in  sin,  for  which 
justice  demands  satisfaction.  And  the  nature,  and  amount 
of  this  satisfaction  are  not  to  be  determined  by  man.  The 
lawgiver  against  whom  the  sin  is  committed,  has  the  exclu- 
sive right  to  determine  these.  Now,  the  extent  of  moral 
evil,  and  its  consequent  punishment,  are  not  determined  from 
the  humble  character  of  him  who  commits  it ;  but  from  his 
character  against  whom  it  is  committed.  This  is  founded 
in  reason,  and  common  sense  of  mankind.  The  aggrava- 
tion of  an  insult  offered  to  a  private  citizen,  or  to  one  pri- 
vate soldier  by  another,  is  very  different  in  degree,  from 
that  offered  to  a  magistrate  sitting  in  judgment  on  the 
bench  ;  or  to  the  commander-in-chief  on  the  field.  Now, 
sin  is  committed  against  the  infinitely  High  and  Holy  One  ; 
and  it  involves  in  it  a  breach  of  infinite  obligations,  to  love 
and  obey  God.  And  let  us  not  forget  that  it  is  an  evil  to 
which  no  bounds  can  be  set.  If  left  to  itself,  it  waxes 
worse  a^id  worse  by  the  very  law  of  its  nature.  It  has  a 
self-perpetuating  power  in  itself.  It  goes  on,  in  its  career, 
like  a  stone  on  the  side  of  a  hill  of  ice,  ever  descending 


156  OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 

deeper  and  deeper,  for  ever.  Left  to  itself,  by  God's  re- 
straining power,  it  careers  onward  to  an  infinity  of  extent, 
and  boundless  duration  ! 

Hence  a  requisite  satisfaction  for  it,  must  be  infinite  in 
its  moral  value.  Its  sufferings  which  it  brings  on  its  vic- 
tims, are,  from  its  nature,  infinite ;  and  from  its  self-perpe- 
tuating power,  it  brings  on  its  victims  an  endless  duration 
of  torments.  Thou  canst  not,  therefore,  0  sinner,  atone 
for  thy  sin,  on  thy  part,  without  necessarily  suffering  to  an 
infinite  extent !  But,  as  thou  art  not  like  One,  whose  hum- 
ble nature  was  united  to  the  Deity  ;  and  borne  up  by  the 
Deity,  when  he  endured  the  pains  of  hell  for  us,  thou  canst 
not,  by  any  means,  endure  at  once,  an  infinite  load  of  suf- 
fering laid  on  thee.  That  would  instantly  annihilate  thee  ! 
Hence,  to  render  the  necessary,  infinite  satisfaction  to  jus- 
tice, thou  behovest  to  suffer  during  an  infinite  space  of 
time  ;  even  for  ever,  and  ever  ! 

4th.  Wert  thou  even  like  Adam,  in  his  primitive  state, 
and  wert  thou  capable  like  him,  of  rendering  before  God, 
the  holiest  works,  and  an  exact  obedience,  yet  thou  couldst 
not,  even  then,  merit  heaven  by  all  thy  good  works.  The 
reason  is  obvious.  The  most  perfect  obedience  to  the  law 
of  God,  couldst  thou  even  give  it,  would  amount  to  nothing 
more  than  simply  the  poor  payment  of  the  just  debt  of  thy 
obligation  to  God,  as  his  creature.  And  the  mere  payment 
of  a  just  debt,  cannot  entitle  any  one  to  the  reward  of  a 
kingdom,  and  a  crown.  It  was  only  in  consequence  of  the 
promise  of  eternal  life,  given  to  Adam,  in  the  covenant  of 
works,  by  his  Maker,  on  condition  of  his  perfect  obedience, 
that  even  he  could  have  entered  heaven,  by  his  good  works. 
Infinitely  less,  can  any  one  of  his  sinful  race  now  enter 
heaven  by  his  works.  For  we  are  no  longer  under  the  co- 
venant of  works,  to  work  out  the  reward  of  life.  It  has 
been  broken.  We  are  now  under  its  curse.  And  no  more, 
for  ever,  is  any  promise  of  life  held  up  by  it,  under  any 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE.  167 

terms  whatever.  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law,  shall  no  flesh 
living  be  justified."  This  is  the  voice  of  God,  and  nothing 
can  gainsay  his  decision. 

aUESTIONS. 

Can  we  have  any  hope  of  salvation,  but  through  free 
grace  1 

Is  God  under  any  obligation  to  be  merciful  to  rebels? 
Give  the  two  proofs. 

Vv'hat  would  be  the  result  of  denying  the  divine  sove- 
reignty ? 

Can  we  be  saved  otherwise  than  by  a  substitute  ?  The 
proof? 

What  are  man's  mistaken  views  of  the  divine  justice  ? 

Can  God  exercise  mercy  to  the  exclusion  of  justice  ? 

Can  repentance,  sorrow,  or  human  merits  satisfy  divine 
justice  ? 

Can  these  satisfy  even  human  justice  for  crimes  ? 

What  do  men  of  corrupt  minds,  usually  rely  on? 

Repeat  the  first  proof  that  human  merit  cannot  save 
man. 

The  second  proof?  Do  not  the  claims  of  human  merit 
involve  blasphemy  ? 

Were  man  to  save  himself,  what  must  he  do  first  7 
What  next? 

What  in  the  third  place  ?    Is  sin  an  infinite  evil  ?    Proof? 

If  so,  what  kind  of  a  moral  satisfaction  can  be  accepted? 

Can  our  best  works,  were  they  even  perfect,  save  us  ? 
Proof? 

State  freely  and  fully  thy  own  views,  and  feelings  on  aU 
this  matter  ? 

MEDITATION. 

In  thy  sight,  what  am  I,  0  LordJ     And  what  is  any  of 
14* 


158  OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 

my  father's  house  that  thou  shouldst  show  us  such  muni- 
ficent grace  ?  0  height,  and  depth  ;  breadth,  and  length  of 
the  love  of  God  !  Thou  didst  stoop  from  heaven  to  notice 
such  a  sinner  as  I  am.  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  all 
that  is  within  me.  Thou,  O  God,  didst  pass  by  the  angels 
that  fell.  No  Saviour  shed  a  beam  of  hope  on  their  dark- 
ness, and  despair.  On  us, — who  were  involved,  with  them, 
in  the  same  nature,  and  extent  of  guilt, — on  us,  O  Lord, 
thou  didst  look  in  divine  pity,  and  mercy :  and  thou  saidst 
to  us,  live.  Blessed  be  the  God,  and  father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  has  bestowed  on  us  the  abounding  riches 
of  his  grace.  Blessed  be  my  dear  Redeemer,  whose  love 
constrained  him  to  become  the  channel  of  this  love,  and 
mercy.  And  blessed  be  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  grace 
crowns  my  soul  with  every  blessing.  All — all  is  of  rich, 
free,  and  sovereign  grace. 

And  shall  any  one  of  our  father's  house,  venture  to  pre- 
sent himself  before  thy  awful  throne,  to  put  in  a  claim  of 
merit  on  his  own  account?  Can  guilt, — can  inexcusable 
guilt,  move  infinite  justice  to  show  mercy  1  Can  vileness 
and  pollution  woo  infinite  purity  to  pity,  and  love  ?  Can 
treason,  and  long-continued  rebellion  demand  the  boon  of 
heaven's  richest  gifts  ?  Oh !  no.  Can  the  violent  breach  of 
infinite  obligations  possess  any  claims  on  divine  faithful- 
ness to  relinquish  all  its  claims  on  the  sinner  ?  No,  no, 
my  God, — never  can  the  thought  be  entertained  by  me.  I 
adore  thy  justice,  and  acknowledge  every  one  of  its  claims. 
I  adore  thy  holiness,  and  admit  all  its  claims.  I  adore  thy 
faithfulness,  and  honour  all  its  claims.  I  humbly  bow  be- 
fore thee,  O  Lord,  in  the  dust.  I  throw  myself  at  the  foot 
of  thy  throne.  Mercy,  0  my  God,  mercy  is  all  I  crave. 
All  these  delusions  in  which  the  sinner  wraps  himself,  I  hate 
and  abandon.  Grace,  free  grace  is  all  my  hope.  Not  by 
works  of  righteousness  can  I  ever  find  peace,  and  hope. 

And,  yet,  man  proudly  resists  this  plan  of  free  grace. 


OF    DIVINE    GRACE.  159 

Oh !  the  deplorable  frowardiiess  of  man  !  When  he  was 
placed  under  the  covenant  of  works,  he  refused  to  render 
to  God  Almighty,  the  homage  of  a  strict  obedience,  by  his 
works.  Now,  that  covenant  being  broken,  and  dissolved ; 
and  a  dispensation  of  grace  being  introduced, — man, — per- 
verse man,  will  not  cast  himself  over  on  this  free  and  un- 
expected grace  of  his  Maker.  In  the  perverseness  of  his 
spirit,  he  insists  on  returning  back  to  the  old  covenant  of 
works.  He  will  put  himself  anew  on  his  own  obedience. 
He  will  return  "  to  the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt."  He  will  for- 
sake "  the  pillar  and  the  cloud,"  and  return  to  the  house  of 
his  bondage  !  He  insists  on  it,  that,  guilty  and  helpless  as 
he  is,  he  be  put,  once  more,  on  his  trial  for  life  by  his  owu 
labours  ! 

0  Lord^  it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps. 
Far  less  is  it  in  man  to  conquer  all  the  impossibilities  in 
the  way  of  his  saving  himself.  I  cast  away  all  my  self- 
righteousness.  I  renounce  all  my  hopes  by  the  law.  I  cast 
all  my  good  deeds  ;  and  all  my  evil  deeds  together  in  a 
heap,  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  of  Christ.  And  I  take  my 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  hope  of  my  soul.  None  but 
Christ !  None  but  Christ !  Receive  me,  0  my  Redeem- 
er, for  I  am  thine,  body  and  soul,  for  ever  :  Amen. 

PRAYER. 

0  Lord  my  God,  thy  love  waked  in  my  bosom  my  love 
to  thee.  I  love  thee,  because  thou  lovedst  me  first.  I  had 
no  claims  on  thee,  my  God.  A  rebel  can  offer  no  claims 
of  mercy.  Hadst  thou  passed  me  by,  I  should  never  have 
known  thee.  I  should  have  felt  only  the  consequences  of 
my  inexcusable  rebellion.  Hadst  thou  passed  me  by,  I 
should  never  have  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  thee,  and 
loving  thee.  I  should  never  have  had  the  sweet  pleasure  of 
hoping  in  thee,  and  enjoying  the   communion  of  thy  pre- 


160  OF    DIVINE    GRACE. 

sence.  And,  oh,  my  God,  thou  mightst  have  passed  me 
by,  and  cast  me  off.  I  could  not  have  brought  a  charge 
against  thee.  I  could  not  have  impeached  thy  justice.  Oh ! 
love  divine,  and  ineffable  !  Thou  didst  visit  me  in  thy  be- 
neficent kindness.  Thou  didst  cause  thy  grace  to  triumph 
in  my  salvation.  Blessed  be  my  heavenly  Father  for  his 
love  !  And  blessed  be  my  Redeemer  for  his  grace  I  And 
blessed  be  the  Holy  Ghost  for  his  all-subduing  and  quicken- 
ing power!  I  am  nothing  :  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity. 
Thou,  0  my  God,  art  all  in  all.  I  bow  in  lowliness  at  thy 
throne. — I  am  guilty,  and  miserable,  and  by  nature  dead  in 
sins  and  trespasses.  I  relinquish  my  pride,  and  boastings. 
I  loathe  myself,  and  repent  in  dust,  and  ashes.  Look  in 
pity  on  me,  0  my  God  !  Oh!  deign  to  regard  me,  in  thy 
tender  mercy.  I  come  unto  thee.  I  cast  myself  humbly 
at  thy  feet,  0  my  Redeemer.  Cast  me  not  out  of  thy  sight. 
Thou  art  my  only  Saviour  ;  my  only  guide,  my  all  in  all; 
I  have  no  peace  offering,  no  burned-offering,  no  sin-offer- 
ing to  bring  to  thee.  Thou  art  my  sin-offering,  my  burned 
offering,  my  altar,  my  all.  Oh  !  receive  me  to  thy  bosom, 
my  dear  Redeemer.  Hide  me  from  all  my  enemies.  I  shall 
be  for  ever  blessed  in  receiving  the  outpourings  of  thy  love 
into  my  soul.  I  shall  be  ever  blessed  in  offering  thee  the 
sacrifices  of  a  broken  and  contrite  heart.  I  shall  be  ever 
blessed  in  receiving  the  communion  of  thy  grace.  I  shall 
be  ever  blessed  in  rendering  unto  thee  according  to  all  the 
benefits  received.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son, 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever.  "  Our  Father  who  art,** 
&c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


OP    DIVINE    GRACE    DISPLAYED    IN    SUBSTITUTION. 


Man  disobeying, 


Disloyal,  breaks  his  fealty,  and  sins 
Against  the  high  supremacy  of  heaven, 
Affecting  Godhead,  and,  so  losing  all, 
To  expiate  his  treason  hath  nought  left 
But  to  destruction  sacred  and  devote, 
He  with  his  whole  posterity  must  die. 
Die  he — or  Justice  must !     Unless  for  him, 
Some  other  able,  and  as  willing,  pay 
The  rigid  satisfaction— death  for  death  !" 

PollOk. 

It  has  been  shown,  we  trust,  satisfactorily,  that  if  we  be 
saved,  it  must  be  by  a  substitute. 

The  denunciation  uttered  by  God's  law,  and  justice,  is 
strict  and  rigorous  :  "  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou 
shalt  surely  die."  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die." 
"  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things, 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 

Now,  the  first  and  most  natural  construction  of  this,  is, 
— that  which  is  elsewhere  expressed  by  our  divine  lawgiver, 
— "  He  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  Law  and  jus- 
tice must  have  their  course.  Nothing  can  impede  it.  The 
Most  High  has  uttered  his  denunciation  in  the  hearing  of 


162  OF    DIVINE    GRACE 

all  his  intelligent  creatures.  "The  soul  that  sin nelh, — it 
shall  surely  die."  It  is  impossible  that  inflexible  truth,  and 
Almighty  power  can  utter  one  thing,  and  do  another.  He 
cannot  deny  himself.  And  the  grand  end  of  penalty  can 
never  be  defeated,  in  its  solemn  voice  of  warning,  and  in- 
struction to  all  the  subjects  of  his  empire.  As  certainly, 
therefore,  as  God  exists,  and  as  God  rules,  shall  the  sinner 
die. 

But,  it  is  a  principle  as  certainly  involved  here,  that  this 
strict  and  awful  denunciation  has  left  room  for  a  substitute 
to  step  into  the  sinner's  place. 

This  is  clearly  establish  3d  from  the  historical  facts  exhi- 
bited in  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Had  the  law's  rigorous  de- 
nunciation, and  presiding  justice,  from  its  throne,  admitted 
of  no  intervention  of  a  substitute,  then  no  Saviour  could 
have  stepped  in  ;  and  no  one  promise,  nor  one  solitary  ray 
of  truth  had  ever  lighted  up  our  path  ;  or  sent  over  our  souls, 
the  joys  of  God's  salvation.  The  existence  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments ;  and  the  voice  of  the  Gospel  uttered  by 
them,  and  the  joyful  fact  of  Christ's  actual  intervention, 
have  established  the  truth  beyond  gainsay, — that  there  was 
room  for  a  substitute. 

And  there  is  no  sacrifice  of  any  one  elementary  truth,  or 
principle  here.  Divine  law,  and  justice  must  have  their 
full  unimpeded  course.  They  may  roll  in  some  new  and 
unusual  course  :  but  they  must  infallibly  roll  on  ;  and  roll 
on,  too,  in  their  undiminished  flood  of  glory.  And  so,  in- 
deed, they  did,  through  the  intervention  of  a  substitute. 
And  this  new,  and  extraordinary  course  was  adopted  in 
perfect  keeping  with  the  primary  end  of  penalty,  and  pu- 
nishment. 

The  grand  and  primary  end  of  penalty  and  punishment 
is  not  the  destruction  of  the  sinner.  Punishment,  we  admit, 
does  terminate  in  the  death  of  the  sinner.  But  that  is  the 
secondary  end  of  punishment.     The  primary  and  grand 


DISPLAYED    IN    SUBSTITUTION.  163 

end  of  penal  infliction,  is,  of  course,  the  same  as  that  of  the 
penalty  attached  to  the  promulged  law.  Now,  assuredly 
it  cannot  be  said  that  the  penalty  of  the  law  is  designed 
primarily,  to  destroy  those  under  its  regulations.  The  pri- 
mary  and  main  end  is  to  enforce  the  law,  by  exhibiting  in 
a  terrific  manner,  the  consequences  of  disobedience  ;  to 
strike  an  awe  into  the  breasts  of  all  intelligent  beings,  the 
subjects  of  God's  government,  and  thence  to  constrain 
them  into  a  persevering,  and  dutiful  obedience  to  the  law- 
giver ;  and,  thence,  sustain  the  divine  government  in  pow- 
er, and  spotless  glory. 

This  being  the  case,  it  follows  of  consequence,  that 
whenever  this  grand  end  of  punishment  can  be  effectually 
accomplished,  by  visiting  it  upon  the  head  of  a  substitute, 
instead  of  the  original  transgressor,  it  is  perfectly  consist- 
ent with  the  law's  denunciation,  and  the  justest  administra- 
tion of  the  divine  government,  to  admit  of  a  transfer  of  per- 
sons, and  of  punishment.  And  where  a  divine  substi- 
tute can  be  found,  whose  intervention  will  throw  a  lustre 
of  ineffable  glory  around  the  throne  of  justice  ;  and  "  mag- 
nify the  law  and  make  it  honourable  ;"  and  thence,  display 
a  magnificent  triumph  in  the  spotless  purity  of  the  divine 
government,  then  the  end  is  attained  in  the  highest  and 
most  splendid  manner  !  And  all  the  principalities,  mights, 
and  thrones  of  heaven ;  and  those  distributed  over  all 
worlds  are  invited  to  admire,  and  adore  the  wisdom,  and  in- 
flexible justice  of  the  divine  empire.  And  every  holy  in- 
telligence throughout  his  vast  dominions  is,  thence,  bound 
closer  than  ever  in  love,  worship,  and  obedience  to  their 
glorious  Creator  and  Ruler.     See  Ephes.  iii.  9,  10,  11. 

But  the  Eternal  Son  of  G  od  is  this  substitute.  When  all 
the  inhabitants  of  hell,  moved  by  malicious  sympathies,  and 
all  the  pure  intelligences  of  heaven,  were  in  deep  and 
awful  suspense, — looking  for  the  certain  and  utter  destruc- 
tion of  our  guilty  species,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  stepped 


164  OF    DIVINE    GRACE 

forth,  and  presented  himself  between  the  throne  of  Justice, 
and  our  trembling  world.  He  stood  forward  "  a  messen- 
ger, an  interpreter,  one  among  a  thousand,  to  show  man 
His  uprightness  ;"  and  to  meet  and  honour  every  require- 
ment of  law  :  and  every  exaction  of  divine  justice.  "  Lo  ! 
I  come  :  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God  !"  "  I  will 
restore  that  which  I  took  not  away."  "  Deliver  from  going 
down  to  the  pit ;  I  have  found  a  ransom."  And  according- 
ly, he  "  became  a  sin-offering  for  us,  who  had  no  sin  ;"  to 
finish  the  transgressions,  and  make  an  end  of  sin. 

ClUESTIONS. 

Can  man  be  saved  in  any  other  way,  than  by  a  substi- 
tute? 

Recite  the  proofs,  and  reasons  of  this  doctrine. 

Was  not  room  left  in  the  law's  denunciations,  for  the  in- 
tervention of  a  substitute  for  man  ? 

Recite  to  us  the  proof  of  this. 

Is  not  salvation  by  a  substitute,  and  Redeemer  perfectly 
consistent  with  all  the  divine  attributes  ? 

Explain  this  :  what  is  the  grand  end  of  the  law's  penalty, 
and  punishment? 

Is  not  the  doctrine  of  substitution,  and  satisfaction  by  a 
substitute,  consistent  with  this  doctrine  of  penalty,  and  pu- 
nishment?    Explain  this. 

Who  is  the  substitute  in  the  room  of  sinners  ?  Give  us 
the  proof  of  this. 

What  are  thy  own  personal  views,  and  feelings  on  this  ? 

MEDITATION. 

No  one  of  our  guilty  race  can  look  up  to  the  throne  of 
thy  justice,  0  Lord,  without  horror.  Oh !  how  can  we 
come  before  thee  ?  Not  in  our  own  name ;  not  in  our  own 
persons  with  any  hope.  The  spiritually  blind,  and  deaf, 
alone,  can  be  indifferent  in  this  matter.     The  terrors  of  thy 


DISPLAYED    IN    SUBSTITUTION.  165 

law  fill  me  with  distraction.  The  thunders  of  thy  awful 
justice  overwhelm  me  with  horror.  I  cannot  answer, 
unto  thee,  O  Lord,  for  one  of  a  thousand  of  my  sins. 
In  the  midst  of  my  deep  distress,  I  heard  the  voice  of  mer- 
cy :  and  I  wished  to  cling  unto  thee.  But,  as  often  as  I 
cast  mine  eyes  on  thy  holy  and  strict  law,  and  on  thy  un- 
bending and  awful  justice,  my  terrors  overcame  me.  But 
the  sweet  voice  of  mercy  rung  in  my  ears.  "  There  is 
room  for  a  substitute  !  Law,  and  justice  must  have  their 
full  career  of  sweeping  and  unstinted  vengeance.  But 
there  is  room  for  a  substitute !  And  the  One  who  is  mighty 
to  save,  has  come,  and  is  now  drawing  near !" 

And  I  looked,  and,  lo!  I  beheld  the  Son  of  God  de- 
scend. I  beheld  thee  in  our  nature,  dear  and  blessed  Son 
of  Man,  our  ^substitute,  prepared  with  the  proper  sacrifice. 
He  came  forward,  and  stood  between  us,  and  the  throne  of 
awful  justice. 

The  Father  welcomed  thee  as  our  substitute.  "  This  is 
my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased  ;  hear  ye 
him."  The  law  of  God  welcomed  him  into  the  field  of 
his  humiliation,  and  obedience.  Divine  justice  welcomed 
him  to  the  field  of  his  sufferings,  and  death.  Zion  welcomed 
him  as  her  Lord  and  Redeemer  "  Lo  !  this  is  our  God,  we 
have  waited  for  him  !" — I  bid  thee  welcome, — welcome, 
dear  Redeemer,  to  these  weary  and  weeping  eyes.  Thou 
art  my  all  in  all.  And,  what  enhances  our  salvation  is  this, 
— every  perfection  of  the  divine  nature  is  glorified  thereby ; 
the  law  magnified  ;  and  the  divine  government  made  the 
admiration  of  all  intelligent  beings.  For  there  never  was 
such  another  degree  of  glory,  shed  forth  before  the  eyes  of 
all  holy  intelligences,  as  that  which  our  substitute  pour- 
ed upon  the  throne  of  justice  ;  and  over  all  the  acts  of  the 
divine  government !  O  height,  and  depth  ;  breadth,  and 
length  of  the  love  of  God.  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul, 
for  ever  and  ever. 

15 


166  OF    DIVINE    GRACE 

A  PRAYER. 

I  sought  thee,  0  my  God,  in  the  dark  hour  of  my  terrors 
and  distress.  I  was  overwhelmed  with  conscious  guilt.  I 
was  ashamed,  and  confounded  by  the  vileness  of  sin,  which 
was  ever  before  me.  I  sought  to  hide  myself  from  thy 
holy  presence.  I  hurried  after  every  new  and  flattering 
asylum.  But,  ah,  my  God,  it  was  only  the  relief /roj/i  hell, 
which  I  sought.  My  law-stricken,  and  selfish  spirit  knew 
thee  not,  0  my  God.  I  pressed  on,  in  the  bitterness  of  my 
soul,  to  regain  the  way  that  led  to  the  tree  of  life.  I  look- 
ed within,  to  my  own  resources,  to  propitiate,  and  please 
thy  holiness,  and  to  draw  a  smile  from  thy  throne.  I  brought 
a  price  in  my  hand,  to  buy  what  thou  hast  never  sold. 
I  sought  to  purchase  what  thou  givest  gratuitously, — even 
the  pardon  of  my  sin.  I  sought  to  barter  what  my  foolish 
heart  flattered  me  that  I  possessed,  for  that  peace  which  my 
troubled  conscience  sought, — and  which  thy  free  grace 
bestows  without  money,  and  price.  But,  the  more  I  toiled 
in  this  fruitless  vanity,  the  more  I  found  the  way  shut 
against  my  re-entrance  into  paradise.  The  more  my  zeal 
flamed  on  regaining  the  lost,  the  more  I  saw  tlie  flames  of 
the  sword  of  the  angels  which  guarded  the  way  against  all 
access  to  the  tree  of  life.  The  more  I  anxiously  sought 
life  there,  the  more  eflectually  did  the  angel  of  truth  con- 
vince me  that  death  awaited  every  one  who  marched  on  the 
flaming  brand  of  divine  justice.  Thy  pitying  mercy  sought 
me  out.  When  there  was  no  hand  to  help  me  in  the  hour 
of  my  agonies ;  thou  didst  open  mine  eyes  to  see  the 
mighty  One, — mighty  to  save.  I  found  thee,0  my  blessed  sub- 
stitute; because  thou  didst  bring  me  back  from  all  my  wan- 
derings in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day.  I  love  thee  ;  and  this 
was  awakened  by  thy  loving  me  first.  I  found  thee  be. 
cause  thou  taughtest  me  first,  that  thou  art  the  good  shepherd 
who  laid  down  his  life  for  the  sheep.     And  now,  that  I  have 


DISPLAYED    IN    SUBSTITUTION.  167 

found  thee,  I  will  cleave  to  thee.  I  am  thine,— thine  wholly, 
thine  only,— and  thine  for  ever.  Glory  be  to  thee,  0  God,' 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever.  Amen. 


CHAPTER   X. 


OF    THE    COVENANT    OF    GRACE    WITH    OUR    SUBSTITUTE. 

"  Then  Thou  speakest  in  vision  to  thy  Holy  One,  and  saidst,  I 
have  laid  help  upon  One  that  is  mighty ;  I  have  exalted  One  chosen  out 
of  the  people.  I  have  made  a  covenant  with  my  Chosen  ;  I  have 
sworn  unto  David  my  servant :  and  with  my  holy  oil  have  1  anoint- 
ed him.  My  mercy  will  I  keep  for  him  for  evermore.  And  my  cove- 
nant shall  stand  fast  with  him." 

Ethan  :  Psalm  Ixxxix. 

We  must  devotely  bear  in  mind,  that,  when  we  ascribe 
our  salvation  to  our  God,  we  owe  an  equal  and  undivided 
love  to  each  of  the  three  divine  persons  of  the  Godhead. 
When  we  say  that  the  plan  of  our  redemption  was  conceiv- 
ed in  the  mind  of  God,  we  must  distinctly  understand  it  of 
the  mind  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  that  too,  in  a  degree  of  the  most  perfect  equa- 
lity. When  we  speak  of  the  Father  acting  for  the  honour 
of  the  Godhead  ;  and  when  we  speak  of  the  Son  acting  for 
the  redemption  of  man,  we  do  not  mean  to  say  that  they 
acted  simply,  and  exclusively  in  this  personal  character.  In 
the  solemn  covenant  transaction,  the  Son  of  God  was  the 
federal  representative  of  his  chosen :  but  the  Father  repre- 
sented each  of  the  other  divine  persons,  as  well  as  himself. 
For  each  of  the  Most  Holy  persons  loved  us  equally  :  each 
of  them  hated,  and  punished  sin ;  each  of  them  purposed 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE,  ETC.        169 

our  salvation  in  love  and  mercy,  equally.  The  love  of  the 
Father  was  not  purchased,  or  procured  by  the  Son  ;  neither 
was  the  love  of  the  Holy  Spirit  purchased.  It  was  the  love 
of  the  Father,  and  the  love  of  the  Son,  and  the  love  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  harmonious  and  one,  that  decreed  the  glorious 
plan.  The  purpose  and  promise  of  God  the  Father,  was, 
therefore,  equally  the  purpose  and  promise  of  God  the  Son, 
and  of  God  the  Spirit. 

Let  us  most  carefully  bear  in  mind,  the  divine  unity  of 
essence  of  the  one  living  and  true  God.  Let  us  as  carefully 
and  devoutly  bear  in  mind,  the  three  divine  persons  existing 
in  the  unity  of  the  essence,  necessarily,  and  independent  of 
man,  and  of  the  redemption  of  man  :  being  necessarily  the 
same  three  distinct  and  divine  persons  in  the  unity  of  the 
divine  essence,  had  man  never  existed  ;  and  had  man  never 
needed  redemption.  With  this  distinction,  let  us  carefully 
view,  by  faith,  each  of  these  three  adorable  persons  of  the 
Godhead  sustaining  not  only  this  peculiar  and  essential  re- 
lation to  each  other,  but  that  official  relation  which  each  of 
them  has  mercifully  assumed  for  our  redemption.  This  last 
is  usually  called  their  economical  characters.  It  did  not  ori- 
ginate the  Trinity  of  persons,  in  the  unity  of  Godhead,  This 
plan  of  mercy  did  not  originate  the  eternal  sonship  of  Christ, 
nor  the  procession  of  the  person  of  the  Spirit,  from  Father 
and  Son.  Let  us  bear  this  in  mind,  in  order  to  avoid 
atheism  on  the  one  hand,  and  idolatry  on  the  other.  The 
everlasting  God,  three  persons  in  one  Deity,  ever  the  same, 
independent  of  all  creatures,  and  plans,  whether  of  mercy, 
or  of  judgment,  set  himself  forth  as  the  God  of  mercy  :  and 
each  of  the  eternal  and  immutable  persons,  by  an  extraor- 
dinary personal  act  of  condescension,  became  an  agent, 
each  in  his  place,  in  accomplishing  our  redemption. 

We  said  that  God  the  Father,  representing  the  three  per- 
sons in  the  Trinity,  "  chose  us  in  Christ,"  and  gave  us  over 
to  him  in  a  solemn  federal  agreement,  on  the  condition  that 
15* 


170  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE 

he  was  to  lay  down  his  life  for  their  forfeited  life.  He  ac- 
cepted us  on  this  condition.  This  is  usually  called  the 
COVENANT  OF  GRACE.  This  holy  and  mysterious  transac- 
tion between  the  Father,  and  him  whose  name  is  the  Branch, 
in  the  council  of  peace,  is  called  the  covenant  of  Re- 
demption ;  and  that  holy  transaction  of  condescending 
grace,  in  which  God  enters  into  covenant  with  us,  in  the 
hour  when  he  brings  us  into  the  bond  of  the  covenant,  and 
reveals  Christ  unto  us  in  peace,  is  called  the  covenant 

OF    GRACE. 

Thus,  God  made  the  everlasting  covenant  of  redemption 
with  the  Eternal  Son,  in  the  council  of  peace  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  ;  in  which  he  made  over  the  elected 
chiirc'i  of  his  love,  to  Christ,  on  the  condition  of  his  fulfil- 
ling £.11  righteousness,  and  redeeming  us  by  his  own  blood. 
— A::d  God  makes  with  us  an  everlasting  covenant,  even 
the  covenant  of  grace  ;  when  by  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant cf  redemption,  he  brings  us  out  of  a  state  of  nature 
by  ensctual  calling,  renews  us,  justifies  us,  and  sanctifies 
us. 

Thia  covenant  between  the  Father  and  the  Son  from  the 
ages  of  sternity,  is  very  clearly  set  forth.  "  I  have  made  a 
coyeiiar/i  with  my  chosen,  I  have  sworn  unto  David  my  ser- 
vant,'' This  was  the  New  Testament  David,  which,  render- 
ed into  English  is,  my  chosen  Beloved  One,  my  servant. 
That  Christ  is  here  intended,  is  clear  from  the  declarations 
that  his  throne  was  to  endure  for  evermore ;  that  he  was 
God's  Holy  One,  on  whom  God  laid  help,  as  the  Mighty 
G::e.  Psalm  Ixxxix.  3, 19,  28,  29.  He  also  is  styled  "the 
Biescer-ger  of  the  covenant,  the  Lord  whom  the  church 
sought ;  and  who  was  to  come  suddenly  to  his  temple." 
Mai.  iii.  1. 

Our  Lord  alludes  to  it  in  his  intercession, — "  Now,  0 
Father,  glorify  me  with  thine  own  self;  with  that  glory  which 
I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was."     It  cannot  be  sup- 


WITH    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  171 

posed  that  he  prayed  for  that  uncreated  personal  glory,  which 
he  had,  as  God,  and  as  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  which  he 
possessed  equally  and  independent,  with  his  Father  and  the 
Holy  Spirit.  It  can  refer  to  nothing  but  the  glory  which  he 
had  as  Mediator,  when  he  stood  up  for  us,  and  said,  "  Here 
am  I,  send  me.  Lo  I  I  come ;  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O 
my  God."  The  glory  rested  on  him  as  the  only  one  who 
coiild,  and  who  did  stand  up  as  mediator.  The  glory  rested 
on  him,  in  the  outgoing  of  his  Father's  love  as  he  viewed 
him,  and  loved  him  as  Mediator,  who  should  honour  the  di- 
vine perfections,  secure  the  honour  of  God's  throne,  open 
up  the  new  and  living  way,  through  which  divine  mercy 
could  flow  honourably  to  sinners  ;  and  they  approach  him  as 
a  just  God  and  a  Saviour. 

In  this  character  of  Mediator  "  he  was  daily  the  Father's 
delight;  rejoicing  always  before  him."  And  to  show  that 
it  was  not  merely  the  infinite  delight  of  the  two  persons 
mutually  terminating  on  each  other ;  the  "  objects  of  their 
delight"  are  stated.  And  this  demonstrates  the  fact  of  its 
reference  to  a  covenant  transaction  between  them  on  our 
behalf.  Here  are  the  words  :  "  I  was  by  him  as  one  brought 
up  with  him."  Thus  he  speaks  of  his  eternal  filiation.  "I 
was  daily  his  delight :  rejoicing  always  before  him :  rejoic- 
ing in  the  habitable  parts  of  his  earth ;  and  my  delights 
were  with  the  sons  of  men  !"     Prov.  viii.  30,  31. 

The  holy  plan  of  redemption  necessarily  includes  all  the 
constituent  parts  of  a  covenant.  For  instance,  I  turn  to 
Isaiah  liii.  10,  and  read, — "When  thou  shaltmake  his  soul,' 
— or,  rendered  literally, — "  If  his  soul  make  a  propitiatory 
sacrifice."  That  is  the  condition  pronounced  by  God  the 
Father.  "  He  shall  see  his  spiritual  seed ;  and  he  shall 
reign  for  ever."  That  is  the  special  promise.  On  the  other 
hand,  here  is  the  other  party,  the  Son  of  God  in  human  na- 
ture, who  is  actually  exhibited  on  the  field,  accepting  the 
condition,  and  giving  his  soul,  and  body  as   a  sacrifice  for 


172  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE 

US.  Man  could  not  be  the  covenanting  party.  Divine 
justice  could  admit  of  no  such  agreement  with  guilty  rebels 
in  arms  against  God.  It  is  Messiah  who  stands  up, 
and  causes  his  voice  to  be  heard  on  earth,  as  it  was  heard  in 
the  council  of  peace  in  eternity.  "  Lo  !  I  come :  in  the 
volume  of  the  book," — or,  as  Witsius  justly  renders  the 
Hebrew  phrase, — "in  the  section,  and  writing  of  the  cove- 
nant, it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my 
God  :  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  Thus  "  he  en- 
gaged his  heart  to  draw  near  to  Jehovah."     Jer.  xxx.  21. 

This  could  not  be  uttered  by  him  as  the  Eternal  Son, 
who,  as  such,  owed  obedience  of  law  to  none.  It  can  be 
referred  to  Messiah  alone,  the  Son  of  God  in  his  new,  and 
assumed  character  exclusively,  as  the  Father's  servant  for 
our  sakes. 

This  covenant  is  strikingly  exhibited  by  Paul,  in  Romans 
V.  12-19.  He  names  not  a  covenant,  it  is  true;  but  he 
does  far  more  :  he  gives  an  ample  description  of  it.  Our 
Lord  is  presented  to  view  as  the  second  Adam  :  and  he  is 
declared  to  be  the  representative,  and  head  of  his  spiritual 
seed,  as  distinctly  as  Adam  is  the  head,  and  representative 
of  his  natural  offspring.  The  apostle  studiously  exhibits 
the  points  of  parallel  between  them.  They  are  made  to 
agree  in  all  the  characters,  and  acts  of  public  heads,  and  re- 
presentatives. They  differ  only  in  the  widely  different  re- 
sults of  their  respective  covenants.  "In  Adam  all  die," 
whom  he  represented.  In  Christ,  grace  reigns  through 
righteousness  to  eternal  life,  in  all  those  whom  he  repre- 
sented. Hence,  he  is  called  appropriately, — "  The  surety 
of  a  better  covenant."  Heb.  vii.  22.  This  manifestly  sets 
forth  this  transaction  of  Messiah  to  be  a  covenant.  And  it 
reveals  him  as  the  head  thereof,  in  our  behalf ;  acting  ad 
surety  ;  engaging  his  heart  to  draw  near  the  throne  of  jus- 
tice for  us  ;  and  to  draw  us  near  to  our  God,  in  the  cove- 
nant.    He  is  also  "  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant." 


WITH    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  173 

Heb.  xii.  24.  He  stands  between  the  Living  God,  and 
sinners  condemned  to  death,  as  the  only  one  who  has  the 
nature  of  God,  and  human  nature  ;  and  can,  therefore,  as 
PEACEMAKER,  lay  his  hand  on  both  parties,  and  mediate  be- 
tween them.  And  it  is  at  the  head  of  the  new  covenant 
that  he  is  presented,  to  our  exceeding  joy. 

It  is  ever  new.  It  is  not  like  the  old  covenant,  which 
has  been  broken  by  the  failure  of  one  party.  It  is  "  the 
everlasting  covenant,"  sealed  with  the  blood  of  Jesus,  who 
could  not  fail  in  his  covenant  engagements.  Heb.  xiii. 
20.  And  through  it,  God  is  "  the  God  of  peace  "  toward 
us  :  and  through  our  blessed  surety,  he  seals  to  us  the  as- 
surance thereof.  "As  for  thee,  also,  by  the  blood  of  thy 
covenant,  have  I  sent  forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit, 
wherein  is  no  water."  And  our  faithful  and  compassionate 
Lord  repeats  this  to  us,  as  he  fills  us  with  joy  and  gladness. 
"  I  engage  by  covenant,  a  kingdom  to  you  ;  even  as  my 
Father  hath  by  covenant,  engaged  a  covenant  to  me." 
Luke  xxii.  29.* 

This  is  the  everlasting  covenant  on  which  David  rested 
with  unshaken  confidence,  and  thence  enjoyed  sweet  peace. 
"It  is  well  ordered  in  all  things,  and  sure.  It  is  all  our 
salvation,  and  all  our  desire." 

And  its  everlasting  stability  is  based  on  the  person,  and 
finished  work  of  Christ,  as  on  the  Rock  of  eternal  ages ! 
Nothing  but  our  Lord's  fulfilling  all  righteousness  could  be 
the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Yet,  there  is  a 
condition  of  connection  in  this  covenant ;  that  is  faith,  with- 
out which  we  cannot  partake  of  its  purchased  blessings. 
Rom.  x.  9. 

aUESTIONS. 
Owest  thou  not  equal  love,  and  divine  homage  to  each  of 
the  persons  of  the  adorable  Godhead? 

♦  This  is  the  literal  rending  of  the  original  Greek. 


174  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 

Describe  the  love  of  each  of  the  divine  persons  in  our 
redemption. 

Is  the  sonship  of  Christ  as  Son  of  God,  an  official  son- 
ship  ?     No. 

But  is  not  his  sonship  as  Son  of  Man,  an  official  son- 
ship  ?     Yes. 

Explain  the  essential,  and  the  economical  relation  of  the 
three  persons. 

Tell  us  what  you  understand  by  the  convenant  of  grace. 

What  is  the  covenant  of  redemption  ? 

How  is  the  Father's  love  herein  manifested  1 

What  was  the  council  of  peace  ?  Between  whom  was  it 
held  ?     What  was  done  in  it  ? 

Give  a  proof  of  this  council  of  peace.  Another  proof  ? 
Another  proof  ] 

Does  not  the  plan  of  redemption  imply  a  covenant  trans- 
action 1 

Explain  this  fully. 

Illustrate  the  proof  of  this,  from  Rom.  v.  12,  &c. 

Why  call  you  it  the  new  covenant  ? 

What  said  David  of  this  covenant  ? 

On  what  rests  the  stability  of  this  covenant? 

What  are  thy  own  views,  and  feelings,  and  experiences 
in  view  of  this  glorious  covenant,  its  head,  and  surety  ? 

MEDITATION. 

I  adore  the  majesty  of  God's  work  of  our  redemption. 
What  a  height,  and  depth  !  The  High  and  Holy  One  stoops 
to  pity  and  ransom  the  guilty,  and  perishing. — It  sheds  a 
lustre  of  glory  on  each  perfection,  and  on  each  act  of  grace, 
by  the  triune  god.  It  humbles  the  sinner  to  the  dust : 
and  prepares  him  for  crowns  of  honour,  and  glory  in  hea- 
ven. It  destroys  the  works  of  Satan.  It  restores  order, 
and  the  beauties  of  holiness,  in  the  vast  empire  of  God.  It 
peoples  heaven  with  the  countless  millions  of  the  ransomed. 


WITH    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  175 

— The  Most  High  stood  in  uo  need  of  man,  to  minister  to 
his  glory,  or  add  to  his  happiness.  Infinite  in  both,  from 
all  eternity,  the  Holy  Three  were  above  the  possibility  of 
their  glory  and  happiness  being  made  more,  or  less.  When, 
therefore,  they  stooped  to  notice,  and  redeem  us,  it  was 
purely  an  act  of  divine  goodness  to  restore  us  to  happiness  ; 
and  of  divine  justice  to  restore  order,  and  beauty  in  the  go- 
vernment of  his  vast  empire. — I  adore  the  Father  who  looked 
on  in  our  misery,  and  said,  "  who  shall  go,  and  whom  shall 
1  send?"  I  raise  my  eyes  with  wonder,  and  admiration  to 
the  Son  of  God  who  received  the  kingdom  from  the  Father's 
hands,  on  the  condition  which  divine  love,  and  justice  pre- 
scribed, in  the  everlasting  covenant.  I  adore  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  engaged  in  this  convention  of  peace,  to  present 
each  one  of  all  the  Ransomed,  in  the  full  perfection  of  ho- 
liness, in  body,  and  in  soul,  in  heaven  I  0  munificent  grace 
of  our  covenant  keeping  God ! 

I  adore  the  divine  faithfulness  displayed  in  the  stability 
of  the  covenant.  It  cannot  fail  on  the  Father's  part.  "  He 
rests  in  his  love,  and  changes  not."  It  cannot  fail  on  the 
part  of  Christ.  He  has  actually  fulfilled  all  righteousness. 
He  has  fully  complied  wath  the  terms  ;  he  fulfilled  the  con- 
dition of  the  covenant :  and  now  he  is  a  priest  on  his 
throne,  following  up  the  splendid  victory  achieved  on  the 
cross.  He  has  ransomed  the  Church  with  his  own  blood  of 
the  atonement.  And,  finally,  I  know  it  cannot  fail  on  the 
part  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  creates  us  anew  by  his  power : 
he  creates  in  us  all  the  graces, — such  as  faith,  and  repent- 
ance, and  holiness,  which  are  conditions  of  connection  re- 
quired in  the  everlasting  covenant.  And,  what  has  been 
transacted  in  the  council  of  peace,  and  on  the  cross,  and 
in  the  new  creation,  in  the  hearts  of  the  Ransomed,  never 
can  be  revoked — never  can  be  undone.  The  Triune  God  of 
the  covenant  cannot  fail  us,  nor  forsake  us. — Oh !  the  hap- 
piness of  whose  who   have   the  bright  and  consolatory  evi- 


176  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE 

dence,  that  the  Lord  has  made  with  them  the  everlasting 
covenant.  Seek  this,  0  my  soul,  with  longing  desire,  and 
unceasing  activity.  Give  thyself  no  rest  until  thou  hast 
obtained  through  faith,  the  blessed  union  to  Christ ;  and 
the  divine  and  growing  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  wit- 
nessing with  my  spirit,  that  I  am  safe  within  the  family 
circle  of  God,  in  the  new  and  well-ordered  covenant.  Amen. 

PRAYER. 

0  Lord  God  of  the  everlasting  covenant !  I  humbly  bow 
down  before  thee.  Accept  the  homage  of  my  whole  soul, 
for  this  divine  constitution  of  mercy.  Oh  !  what  inexpres- 
sible condescension.  Thou  stoopedst  down  from  the  loftiness 
of  thy  throne  to  raise  me — poor  unworthy  me — from  the 
fearful  pit.  Thou  deignedst  to  snatch  me — hell  deserving 
sinner, — from  the  devouring  flames  ;  and  to  clothe  me  with 
immortal  glory.  Can  I  ever  cease  to  love,  and  adore  thee  ? 
Can  I  ever  forget  that  grace  of  my  heavenly  Father,  which 
chose,  and  appointed  the  great  deliverer,  at  the  head  of  the 
covenant?  Can  I  forget  the*  hand  of  munificent  grace, 
which  chose,  and  appointed,  and  delivered  the  church  of  the 
Ransomed,  into  Christ's  hands  ?  Can  I  ever  forget  the 
love  which  prescribed  to  our  Lord  the  condition  of  our  re- 
demption?— And  can  I  ever  forget  thee,  0  my  Blessed 
Redeemer,  who  didst  glorify  thy  Father,  in  the  council  of 
peace,  and  wast  glorified  by  him  :  who  didst  glorify  thy 
Father  upon  earth,  and  wast  glorified  by  him  ?  With  un- 
utterable emotions  of  a  ransomed  captive,  I  look  to  the 
everlasting  covenant.  Its  condition  is  fulfilled  :  and  all  its 
blessings  ratified  to  us,  by  thee. — Can  I  ever  forget  thee, 
0  Holy  Spirit,  who,  in  obedience  to  the  engagements  of 
pity  and  love,  hast  come  down  into  the  church,  and  into 
our  hearts,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  and 
art  triumphantly  carrying  on  the  more  glorious  and  enduring 
works,  and  glories  of  the  new  creation  ?     It  was  thy  grace, 


WITH    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  177 

O  God,  that  originated  the  glorious  scheme  of  redemption. 
It  was  thy  grace  that  regulated  the  whole  execution  thereof. 
It  was  thy  grace  that  devised  the  munificent  results.  It 
was  rich  grace  that  presided  over  the  manner  of  consum- 
mating the  work.  0  my  God,  I  adore  thee  for  what  thou 
art  in  thyself.  Accept  the  humble  and  sincere  tribute  of  my 
love.  I  adore  thee,  0  God,  for  all  the  proofs  of  thy  watchful 
care  ;  and  all  thy  boundless  goodness  triumphing  in  my  sal- 
vation. Grace  crowns  us  at  every  step  of  our  Christian 
course  !  Grace  crowns  us  with  triumph  in  our  last  moments ! 
Grace  crowns  us  with  immortal  glory  in  heaven. — Glory  be 
to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost ;  as  it  was 
in  the  beginning ;  is  now,  and  shall  be  for  ever,  and  ever. 
Amen. 


16 


CHAPTER  XI. 


OF    god's    love    selecting    us    in    CHRIST 
OUR    SUBSTITUTE. 

"  For  the  children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any 
good,  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God,  according  to  election  might 
stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth— as  it  is  written,  Jacob 
have  I  loved  ;  but  Esau  have  I  hated.  For  Jehovah  said  to  Moses,  I 
will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy  ;  and  I  will  have  com- 
passion on  whom  I  will  have  compassion.  So,  then,  it  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth  ;  but  of  God  who  sheweth  mer- 
cy. Therefore  he  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy  :  and 
whom  he  will,  he  hardeneth.  Thou  wilt  say  then,  to  me,  why  doth 
he  yet  find  fault  1  For  who  hath  resisted  his  will  1  Nay,  but,  O 
man  !  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  V 

St.  Paul. 

It  is  safe  to  reason  from  the  reality  of  the  effect,  to  the 
existence  of  tlie  purpose  of  the  efficient  agent.  It  is  very 
certain  that  God  does  exercise  toward  us,  such  rich  grace 
and  mercy,  as  God  alone  can  display  to  our  sinful  race. 
If  so,  then  he  acts  according  to  a  fixed  purpose,  or  plan. 
No  one  of  us  will  venture  to  say  that  infinite  wisdom  acts 
without  any  fixed,  or  determinate  purpose.  To  deny  that 
he  operates  according  to  his  own  selected  plan,  would  im- 
peach his  divine  wisdom.  It  follows,  that  as  certainly  as 
our  God  redeems  his  people,  he  did  purpose  and  resolve,  in 


OF  god's  love,  etc.  179 

his  divine  mind,  to  do  it.  The  certainty  of  the  action  de- 
termines the  certainty  of  the  divine  purpose.  And  the  ex- 
tent, and  nature  of  the  actions,  determine  precisely  the  ex- 
tent, and  nature  of  his  holy  purposes.  This  is  what  we 
mean  by  God's  selecting  love.  He  did  purpose  to  do,  in 
our  salvation,  exactly  that  which  his  grace  really  does. 

And  allow  me  to  lead  your  attention  to  the  Holy  Bible, 
for  the  proof  of  this.  I  think  you  will  admit  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  understand  the  following  passages  without  be- 
lieving in  personal  election.  Rom.  xi.  5.  "There  is  a 
remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace."  Verse  7. 
'^  The  elect  hath  obtained  it ;  and  the  rest  are  blinded." 
Math.  xxii.  24.  "  If  it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the 
very  elect."  Rom.  viii.  33.  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
the  charge  of  God's  elect,"  &c.  Rom.  ix.  11,  &c.  "  That 
the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand,  not 
of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth."  John  xv.  16.  "  Ye  have 
not  chosen  (elected)  me,  but  I  have  chosen  (elected)  you." 
Eph.  i.  4.  "  God  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world." 

It  is,  therefore,  beyond  doubt,  that  God  hath  made  a  choice 
of  us.  Now,  a  choice  implies  that  some  are  left.  Here  I 
must  school  down  my  rebellious  spirit  to  an  implicit  belief 
of  God's  most  holy  mind,  and  will.  Some  are  left ;  some 
are  not  chosen .  It  is  peremptorily  expressed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  a  passage  just  quoted.  The  elect  has  obtained  it, 
namely,  grace  :  but  the  rest  are  blinded.  Those  on  whom 
God  is  pleased  to  have  mercy,  are  softened  into  contrition 
and  holiness :  "  The  rest  are  hardened."  God  hardens 
them  in  no  other  way  than  he,  as  Lord  of  nature,  hardens 
the  earth  by  frost.  The  absence  of  melting  heat  is  frost. 
He  withholds  his  heat,  the  earth  is  hardened.  He  with- 
holds his  grace  from  wilful  rebels  ;  and  he  is  assuredly  un- 
der no  obligation  to  give  it  to  them.     The  consequence  is. 


180  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

they  are  "  hardened."     God  leaves  them  to  the  fruit  of 
their  own  evil  ways. 

This  explains  election,  and  removes  objections  against 
it.  Had  all  men  been  equally  innocent,  and  thence  equal- 
ly deserving,  there  would  have  been  no  room  for  election. 
All  would  have  been  equally  received  into  God's  presence 
in  heaven. 

Now,  we  reject,  and  oppose  with  great  concern,  the  doc- 
trine, that  "  God  looked  forth  in  his  eternal  mind,  on  all 
men  simply  as  creatures  ;  and,  that  out  of  these,  all  equal- 
ly deserving,  because  innocent,  he  did  select  his  own, 
while  he  resolved  to  damn  the  rest,  without  any  reference  to 
their  sin  !  "  He  made  them  solely  to  damn  them."  This, 
I  beg  youj  my  dear  youth,  to  bear  in  mind,  is  the  extraordi- 
nary doctrine  of  the  ancient  sect  of  Predestinarians. 
And  remember,  that  although  this  is  charged  on  the  Calvin- 
istic  evangelical  churches,  by  ignorant  or  designing  men, 
THE  Reformed  churches  never  held  this  doctrine  : 
they  do  most  solemnly  reject  it  from  their  creeds. 
Our  American  churches  do  most  earnestly  and  so- 
lemnly REJECT  IT. 

Our  doctrine  is  this.  God  looked  forth  in  his  eternal 
mind,  upon  our  fallen  race  ;  he  viewed  us  all,  as  sinful, 
guilty,  and  miserable,  under  the  claims  of  his  justice.  Out 
of  these  he  selected  his  elect.  These  he  chose  to  life 
eternal.  To  the  rest  he  did  no  injury.  They  would  have 
perished  at  any  rate.  He  left  them  to  the  natural  and  ne- 
cessary consequences  of  their  own  wilful  crimes.  He  did 
not  make  them  sinners.  He  did  not  compel  them  to  sin. 
They  sinned  voluntarily.  They  continued  sinning  and 
rebelling  against  him  from  the  earliest  dawn  of  reason  in 
infancy,  to  their  miserable  exit  on  their  death-beds.  They 
carried  out  into  fatal  effect,  the  natural  freedom  of  their  own 
will.     They  would  listen  to  no  expedient  of  mercy, — to  no 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  ISl 

call, — to  no  entreaty  of  God's  ministry ;  to  no  striving  of 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

There  is,  we  admit,  a  deep  and  awful  mystery  thrown 
over  this  doctrine.  It  is  so  with  every  other  great  and  sub- 
lime purpose,  and  work  of  the  Almighty.  But,  with  this 
admission,  there  is  no  greater  difficulty  attending  this,  than 
other  doctrines.  Only  admit,  what  is  very  manifest,  that 
man,  by  his  inexcusable  rebellion,  dug  his  own  grave  ; 
and  formed  his  own  hell.  Only  admit,  what  no  rational 
being  can  deny,  that  the  infinite  and  eternal  God  is  our 
sovereign.  Admit  these,  and  all  the  difficulty  is  removed  ; 
except  what  is  created  by  sheer  prejudice,  and  an  erroneous 
education.  Admit  these, — and  then  listen  to  the  appeal  of 
Almighty  God  : — ■"  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what 

I  WILL,  WITH    MY    OWN  ?       Is    THINE  EYE    EVIL    BECAUSE    I 

AM  GOOD  ?"  Math.  XX.  15.  And  suppose  the  Deity  would 
thus  address  thee,  what  wouldst  thou  say  ? — "  When  I  doom- 
ed the  fallen  angels  ;  and  reserve  them  in  chains,  under 
darkness,  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day, — who,  of  all  my 
creatures,  has  a  right  to  gainsay  my  purpose,  or  question 
my  act  ?  Who  will  say  unto  me,  '  What  doest  thou  V  Had 
I  been  pleased,  in  like  manner,  to  doom  all  the  human  fa- 
mily, where  is  the  created  being,  who  could  have  claimed 
to  rise  up,  and  question  my  purpose  and  act  ?  Is  thine 
eye  evil,  because  I  am  good?  Is  thine  eye  envious,  be- 
cause I  have  mercy  upon  some  ;  and  as  I  choose  to  have 
mercy  on  whom  I  will ;  and  leave  some  to  the  bitter  fruits 
of  their  own  evil  ways  ?" 

I  shall  put  it  before  my  young  reader,  in  the  plainest  pos- 
sible manner.  Here  is  a  simple  illustration  of  the  doctrine 
of  personal  election,  and  that  "terrible"  doctrine  called  re- 
probation, as  they  are  presented  in  our  public  creed. 

I  shall  suppose  that  a  hundred  criminals,  doomed  to 
death,  are  in  chains  in  our  prisons.  They  are  condemned  : 
their  crimes  are  atrocious.  Now,  have  any  of  these  persons 
16* 


1S2  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

any  claim  on  public  mercy  ?  Is  the  executive  under  posi- 
tive obligations  to  save  all,  or  the  half,  or  even  one  1  He 
certainly  is  not.  He  might  refuse  to  interfere,  and  thence, 
leave  them  to  the  course  of  justice,  which  demands  their 
death,  as  its  just  and  inalienable  right.  I  shall  suppose, 
farther,  that,  for  state  reasons,  known  only  to  himself,  the 
executive  sees  fit  to  save  eighty  or  ninety,  out  of  the  hun- 
dred. These  he  brings  out ;  pardons,  and  places  under  pro- 
per training,  in  order  to  their  being  good  citizens.  Does 
he  any  injury  to  the  rest?  He  is  not  partial.  He  had  his 
own  reasons  for  doing  as  he  did,  though  we  do  not  know 
them.  He  does  them  no  positive  injury.  They  would  all, 
to  a  man,  have  perished,  had  he  not  interposed.  Those 
who  do  perish,  would  have  perished  at  any  rate.  Is  our 
eye  evil,  and  envious,  because  he  is  good  ?  Hast  thou  a 
right  to  blame  him  as  partial,  because  he  does  not  surren- 
der his  will  to  thy  gratuitous  and  uncalled-for  interference  ? 
Barest  thou  murmur  at  him  as  partial,  because  he  does  not 
surrender  up  his  own  independence  to  thy  inexcusable  in- 
trusion 1 

And,  I  pray  you, 'if  this  doctrine  of  his  selecting  "a  mul- 
titude whom  no  man  number  ;"  and  his  leaving  so  small  a 
minority,  to  perish  by  their  own  crimes, — does  open  a  door 
to  bring  a  charge  of  partiality  and  injustice, — -what,  then, 
must  be  the  appalling  partiality,  and  injustice,  on  the  part  of 
the  Judge  of  all,  in  his  passing  by,  and  leaving  the  whole 
of  the  fallen  angels,  without  one  solitary  exception? — We 
oiight  to  be  humble  and  considerate  in  speaking  of  the  un- 
searchable counsels  of  the  Almighty. 

Wilt  thou  say  unto  me,  "  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ? 
For  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?"  This  objection  was  swept 
away  by  the  reply  of  St.  Paul.  "  Nay,  but,  0  man,  who 
art  thou,  that  repliest  against  God  ?"*     Has  the  criminal  a 

*  Jlom.  ix.  19,  20,  21. 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  183 

right  to  prescribe  to  his  judge  ?  Has  the  rebel  man  a  right 
to  dictate  to  his  Maker  ?  Is  it  conceivable  that  the  exercise 
of  a  sovereign  right,  on  the  part  of  Almighty  God  to  pardon 
whom  he  will,  can  establish  a  right  on  the  part  of  other  re- 
bels, to  deprive  Him  of  that  sovereignty ;  and  to  dictate  to 
Htm  what  they  require  ?  If  so,  then  this  doctrine  of  the 
Election  of  free  grace  is  no  longer  defensible. 

I  shall  here  notice  one  popular  objection.  It  is  this  : — 
If  this  doctrine  be  true,  then  the  man  who  is  not  chosen 
cannot  be  saved,  let  him  do  whatever  he  may,  or  whatever  he 
possibly  can." 

1st.  This  objection,  I  beg  leave  to  reply, — is  based  on 
the  false  assumption,  that  every  one  knows  who  is  an  elected 
man  ;  and  who  is  not  elected.  2d.  No  man  can  possibly 
know  certainly,  whether  he  belong  to  the  elect,  or  the  non- 
elect,  until  he  has  voluntarily  sinned  away  the  day  of  his 
visitation  ;  and  dies  an  obdurate  impenitent  sinner.  Then, 
and  not  until  then,  can  he  know  this  fact  certainly.  That 
is  to  say,  no  person  can  know  certainly,  that  he  is  a  non- 
elect,  until  he  is  dead ;  and  stands  actually  condemned  at 
God's  bar.  Hence,  3d.  the  "reprobate"  deliberately  re- 
jects all  the  overtures  of  mercy,  before  he  spends  one  single 
thought  about  God's  decree  being /or  him,  or  against  him. 
He  deliberately  rejects  Christ,  and  persists  in  impenitence 
even  to  the  end,  and  before  he  can  -know  any  thing  about 
God's  decree  toward  him.  4th.  It  will  be  found,  at  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  not  one  of  the  finally  impen- 
itent, that  is,  the  non-elect,  ever  sincerely  breathed  one 
prayer  in  earnestness,  or  ever  sought,  or  even  wished  for 
salvation.  Far  less  did  he  all  in  the  way  of  duty,  that  could 
have  been  done  by  him,  to  obtain  mercy.  And  it  will,  then, 
also,  be  made  manifest  that  the  elect  alone  did  seek  salva- 
tion in  the  right  way,  and  actually  did  all  that  could  be  done 
by  them,  in  the  way  of  duty.  Our  Lord  has,  in  fact,  de- 
clared this  most  explicitly.     "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me, 


184  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

shall  come  to  me  :  and  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in 
no  wise  cast  out."  John  vi.  37. — Hence,  6th.  This  objec- 
tion,— that  "  the  non-elect  cannot  be  saved  let  him  do  what 
he  may," — is  a  merely  gratuitous  assumption.  It  is  a  mere 
theory.  It  never  has  been  known  to  be  made.  It  never 
found  a  place  in  the  mind  of  the  finally  impenitent.  It  ex- 
ists only  in  its  projector's  overheated  imagination. 

In  the  same  manner  we  dispose  of  the  objection,  that,  "  as 
God  has  passed  by  the  non-elect,  no  provision  is  made  for 
them  in  the  atonement  of  Christ." 

For,  we  reply,  1st :  that,  as  soon  as  it  is  certainly  disco- 
vered that  any  individual  is  not  elected,  we  shall  certainly 
make  no  offer  of  Christ's  atonement  to  him.  Because  it 
can  never  be  certainly  known  by  man,  in  this  world,  who 
are  elected,  and  who  are  non-elected.  And,  as  it  is  cer- 
tainly known  only  at  the  bar  of  judgment,  of  course  no  far- 
ther overtures  can  be  made  to  him. 

But,  2d.  We  lay  down  these  three  fundamental  truths  of 
the  gospel,  which,  beyond  controversy,  are  true.  First : — the 
atonement  possesses  an  infinite  value  in  itself.  Second  : — 
the  gospel  offer  is  free,  unshackled,  and  unlimited  to  all  who 
hear  it.  Third  : — God  has  chosen  his  own  people,  in  Christ, 
before  the  earth  was  made,  out  of  the  corrupt  mass  of  sinners. 
These,  as  we  shall  show  in  the  proper  place,  are  esta- 
blished by  the  infallible  testimony  of  the  Scriptures.  And 
if  any  person  discovers  an  insuperable  difficulty  in  them, 
let  him  pause,  and  reflect.  The  difficulty  is  no  greater  than 
ten  thousand  others  in  the  works  of  nature,  and  divine  pro- 
vidence. And  we  leave  him  to  settle  this,  as  well  as  the 
others,  with  Almighty  God,  his  Maker. 

If  a  man  will  not  believe,  nor  act  until  he  has  solved  the 
insuperable  difficulties  he  encounters  in  nature,  in  philo* 
sophy,  and  in  the  gospel,  he  will  never  believe,  nor  act  in 
any  sphere,  as  a  rational  being,  in  this  world !  I  would 
draw  your  attention,  dear  youth,  to  the  remark  of  that  emi- 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  185 

nent  divine  Dr.  John  Dick  ; — "  The  outcry  against  elec- 
tion, as  if  it  made  God  a  respecter  of  persons,  is  a  sense- 
less one  ;  and  proceeds  from  stupidity,  or  malignity.  He 
only  is  a  respecter  of  persons,  who  confers  favours  upon 
some,  and  withholds  them  from  others,  equally  deserving  : 
and  not  he,  who,  where  none  has  a  claim  on  him,  disposes 
of  his  gifts  in  the  free  exercise  of  his  power  over  them, 
which  does  naturally  belong  to  him."* 

And,  my  dear  youth,  I  wish  to  place  before  your  minds, 
the  two  views, — that  of  the  Calvinist,  and  that  of  the  Ar- 
minian,  in  juxta-position.  And  I  shall  leave  you  to  decide 
on  their  respective  merits,  by  the  word  of  God,  by  sober 
reason,  and  the  laws  of  mercy,  and  benevolence,  to  man. 

First : — The  Arminian  makes,  no  doubt  undesignedly, 
a  kind  of  god  of  the  human  will.  And  the  Almighty  is 
kept  in  suspense  from  all  eternity,  and  over  all  time,  until 
He  sees  which  way  this  god  of  the  human  will  shall  move  ; 
and  what  it  shall  eventually  determine  !  Then,  upon  that 
movement  taking  place,  God  Almighty  is  no  longer  kept  in 
suspense.  He  then  follows  the  movement  of  man's  will : 
and,  thence,  proceeds  to  elect  him,  in  consequence  of  man 
happening  to  elect  God  first ! 

But  the  Calvinist  believes  that  the  will  of  Almighty  God, 
being  eternal  and  infinite,  never  could  be  kept  in  suspense 
by  a  human  will,  which  acts  in  time,  merely.  If  God's 
supreme  will  does  not  choose  us  from  all  eternity,  it  follows 
that  the  divine  will  was  inactive,  and  in  suspense.  That 
is,  it  is  dependent  on  the  creature's  will. 

Second  : — It  does  not  mend  the  matter  to  say  that  God 
foresaw  from  eternity,  man's  faith  anJ  obedience  :  and  that 
on  this  foreknowledge,  he  elected  the  believers  who  were 
about  to  be  believers  !  If  this  were  so,  the  basis  of  this 
certain  foreknowledge  must  have  been  established  either  in 

♦  Dr.  John  Dick's  Theol.  Vol.  ii.  p.  181.  Edinb.  Edit. 


186  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

the  divine  mind  :  or  in  the  will  of  the  man  whose  actions 
were  thus  foreseen. — How,  then,  did  God  foresee  these  ac- 
tions ?  Was  it  by  his  looking  into  the  human  mind,  and 
will  ?  Then  it  follows,  that  this  act  of  the  human  will, 
being,  as  the  Arminian  says,  a  thing  entirely  contingent,  it 
could  not  have  been  foreseen  by  any  created  being.  Sup- 
pose, for  instance,  that  it  had  been  foreseen  certainly  and 
infallibly,  it  must  have  been  certain  and  infallible  either  by 
God's  decreeing  it,  and  fixing  it  in  his  sovereign  mind : — 
this  the  unbeliever  in  God's  decrees  rejects : — or,  it  must 
have  been  fixed  and  determined  by  man,  himself,  by  his 
"  free  will."  But,  how  can  man  know,  or  fix  a  thing  en- 
tirely contingent?  He  does  not  himself  even  know,  to- 
day, or  this  hour,  whether  he  will  certainly  believe,  and 
obey  God.  Here  is  one  insuperable  objection  which  lies 
against  this  theory. 

But,  this  is  not  all.  It  follows,  from  this  novel  philoso- 
phy, and  false  theology  of  Arminius,  that  God's  eternal 
mind  could  not  have  foreseen  any  thing  to  be  certain,  until 
that  eventful  hour,  when  man,  by  the  very  act  of  his  be- 
lieving and  obedience,  had  made  it  certain  to  God  ! 

That  is,  we  arrive,  again,  at  the  same  conclusion  against 
these  impious  tenets,  that  it  exhibits  the  Almighty  and  all- 
wise  God  as  retained  by  man  in  utter  suspense,  from  all 
eternity,  so  that  He  cannot  select  one  soul,  until  man's  first 
act  of  faith  shall  put  an  end  to  the  divine  suspense,  and 
uncertainty  !  Then  follows  the  act  of  a  conditional  elec- 
tion, put  forth  by  a  dependent  deity  !  This  doctrine,  my 
dear  youth,  as  you  cannot  but  see,  does  undeify  God  Al- 
mighty, by  deifying  man's  corrupt  will  /* 

Now,  my  young  friends,  you  can  readily  decide  on  a 

♦  See  President  Edwards'  proof  of  the  tendency  of  the  Arminian 
tenets  to  Atheism,  in  his  admirable,  and  unanswered  work,  "  The  In- 
quiry into  Freedom  of  tlie  Human  Will."  Part  ii.  Sect.  3,  and  Part 
iv.  Sect.  12. 


IN    CHRIST    OUR   SUBSTITUTE.  187 

point  so  plain.  One  of  these  three  consequences  must 
follow : — Either  man's  act  of  electing  God,  must  have  taken 
place  before  he  was  born :  Or,  the  sovereign  mind  of  Je- 
hovah must  have  been  retained  in  doubt,  and  utter  suspense 
from  all  eternity :  Or,  lastly,  our  doctrine  of  God's  free  and 
sovereign  election  of  us,  must  be  just,  rational,  and  scrip- 
tural. 

There  is  another  point  of  importance.  The  pupil  of  Ar- 
minius  would  persuade  you,  that  God  has  left  it  open  to  all 
men  to  save  themselves,  as  all  happen  to  be  made  salvable. 
All  men  may,  if  they  select,  without  exception,  be  saved. 
But,  to  this  plausible  and  very  flattering  theory,  they  add 
this  fearful  drawback,  which  annihilates  the  glory  of  all  its 
plausibility : — namely,  that  God  has  not  fixed,  nor  made 
certain,  the  salvation  of  even  one  single  human  being  !  All 
may,  perchance,  be  saved.  But  the  salvation  of  not  even  one  is 
certainly  secured.  Our  salvation  is  thus  taken  out  of  God's 
hands.  It  is  made  a  mere  contingency  of  human  perad- 
venture  !  This  all-important  matter  is  made,  by  a  decep- 
tions and  flattering  theory,  to  rest  in  the  mere  chance  acts 
of  corrupt  and  wavering  man  !  The  whole  church  of  God, 
its  succession,  and  existence  ;  nay,  the  whole  success  of 
our  Lord's  purposes,  and  all-efficient  atonement,  are  thus 
placed  at  the  mercy  of  fallen  man's  corrupt  and  capricious 
will !  The  will  of  man  may,  thus,  defeat  the  entire  pur- 
pose of  God,  and  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  love  and  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Ghost ! 

But  the  Calvinist,  resting  on  the  Rock  of  Ages,  de- 
clares, in  his  sublime,  and  truly  philosophic,  and  Bible  sys- 
tem, that  God  has  infallibly  decreed,  and  does  infallibly 
ransom,  and  infallibly  save  his  church,  which  is  his  elect  ; 
consisting  of  countless  millions  ;  even  "  multitudes  which 
no  man  can  number  ;"  that  is,  as  I  conceive,  by  far,  un- 
speakably, the  majority  of  our  race. 

Bring  these  two  points  of  the  opposing  systems  together, 


188  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

ill  contrast,  and  say,  which  of  them  is  most  consoling  and 
Godlike.  The  former  represents  God  and  man  in  utter 
suspense,  until  the  suspense  is  broken  through  by  the  hu- 
man will  dictating  to  the  Almighty  the  course  he  has  to 
pursue,  and  determining  man's  destiny.  At  the  same  time, 
it  does  not  secure  the  salvation  of  a  single  soul !  The 
latter,  the  Calvinistic  system,  exalts  the  Most  High,  placing 
him  on  his  throne  of  uncontrollable  sovereignty  :  display- 
ing the  richness  of  free  grace  ;  while  it  fills  us  with  the  di- 
vine assurance  of  the  certain  salvation  of  millions  of  mil- 
lions, which  no  man  can  number  ! 

We  do,  therefore,  reject  these  novelties  of  James  Her- 
mans, as  tending  to  dethrone  the  Eternal  One,  from  his 
absolute  supremacy  over  man  ;  to  make  men  independ^l^ 
of  heaven  ;  while  they  overwhelm  the  Christian  with  the 
gloom  of  utter  uncertainty. — They  bear  one  prominent 
mark  of  being  opposed  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  With  them, 
"  the  offence  of  the  cross  has  ceased."  They  are  conge- 
nial to  the  corrupt  heart :  and  find  the  applause  of  popularity 
in  the  ungodly  world.  But  the  pure,  and  uncompromising 
doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  a  stumbling-block  to  the  self- 
righteous  ;  and  an  object  of  antipathy,  and  disgust  to  the 
profane  ! 

There  is  another  remarkable  opposition  in  them  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  cross.  They  invert  the  divine  order  laid 
down  by  God.  "  As  many  as  were  ordained  to  eterngJ  life 
believed."  Acts  xiii.  48.  This  is  the  order  fixed  in  the 
divine  counsel  by  the  declaration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But, 
in  the  face  of  this,  the  Leyden  speculator  taught  that, — "  it 
is  not  so  ;  but  that  the  order  in  their  system  is  this  ; — as 
many  as  believed  were,  thereby,  ordained  to  eternal  life !" 

Such  is  the  decree  of  God's  selecting  love.  It  is  from 
eternity.  It  chose  us  in  Christ,  and  gave  us  over  to  him, 
to  be  ransomed  by  him.  "  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  ever- 
lasting love."     Jerem.  xxxi.  3.     "  In  hope  of  eternal  life 


IN    CHRIST     OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  189 

which  God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world  be- 
gan." Tit.  1.  2.  "God  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with 
an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according 
to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ 
before  the  world  began."     2  Tim.  i.  9. 

This  decree,  as  we  have  seen,  is  most  sovereign,  and 
therefore,  unconditional.  The  above  testimony  is  com- 
plete,— "  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his 
own  purpose,  and  grace." 

It  is  immutable.  "  He  rests  in  his  love."  "  He  is  Jeho- 
vah ;  he  changes  not  "  Zeph.  iii.  17.  Mai.  iii.  6.  All  nature 
may  sink  in  ruins,  but  "  his  kindness  shall  never  depart"  from 
his  children.  "  The  covenant  of  my  peace  shall  never  be  re- 
moved, saith  Jehovah."  Isai.  liv.  10. — If  he  changed,  it 
must  be  from  some  cause  in  himself,  or  to  accommodate 
himself  to  the  changing  will  of  man.  It  cannot  arise  from  the 
first.  For  if  he  changed,  it  must  be  from  the  same  to  the 
same,  which  is  impossible  ;  or  from  better  to  worse  ;  or  from 
worse  to  better ;  which  is  equally  impossible.  It  cannot  arise 
from  the  second.  For,  to  say  with  the  Arminian  that, — "  as 
man  does  change,  and  may  of  elect  become  reprobate  ;  and  of 
reprobate,  elect," — is  to  make  the  Almighty  Sovereign  of 
heaven  dependent  on  men,  and  as  weak  and  as  shuffling 
as  they  !"  Hear  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit.  "  The  coun- 
sel of  the  Lord  standeth  for  ever."  Psal.  xxxiii.  11.  "No- 
thing shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Rom.  viii.  35 — 39.  Finally  ; 
This  decree  is  calculated  to  give  Jehovah  all  the  glory  ;  and 
to  humble  the  sinner  ;  and  bring  him  in  the  lowliness  of 
submission,  to  the  foot  of  the  throne  of  free  grace. 

We  cleave,  therefore,  to  the  doctrines  of  our  Lord,  as 
taught  by  Luther,  Calvin,  and  all  the  worthies  of  the  Re- 
formation ;  and  as  exhibited  in  the  Creed  of  all  the  Reformed 
churches  of  Holland,  Germany,  France,  Switzerland,  En- 
gland, Scotland,  and  America.  They  impart  to  us  thesweet- 
17 


190  OF    GOD*S    LOVE    SELECTING    US 

est  of  divine  consolations.  They  pour  upon  our  minds 
the  joy  of  the  full  assurance  of  faith,  and  hope.  The  Ley- 
den  speculations  are  revolting  to  the  truly  spiritual  soul. 
They  are  gloomy  and  dreary  as  was  the  side  of  the  cloud 
which  lowered  upon  the  camp  of  the  Egyptians.  The  pure 
doctrines  of  the  cross  are  like  the  bright  side  of  the  glorious 
cloud.  And  they  shed  a  bright  and  unwavering  light  over 
our  pilgrimage  to  Canaan's  mountains  of  glory. 

aUESTlOlNS. 

Is  this  doctrine  sustained  by  reason  ?  The  proof?  Is  it 
manifest  from  the  very  nature  of  Almighty  God  ?  Proof? 
And  by  the  explicit  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures? 

Is  it  supposable  that  an  infinitely  wise  Being  will  act 
v/ithout  a  definite  purpose  ? 

Is  not  "  God's  selecting  love,"  just  another  expression 
for  the  wise  plan  by  which  he  acts  in  grace  ? 

Recite  the  proof  of  this  from  Scripture. 

Your  explanation  of  this  ?  Give  your  sense  of  the  text, — 
"God's  hardening  the  rest." 

Had  men  been  all  equally  deserving,  could  there  have 
been  any  selection  of  grace  to  salvation  ? 

Has  guilty  man  any  claims  whatever  upon  God  ? 

What  were  the  sentiments  of  the  old  "Predestinarians?" 

What  are  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Reformed  Churches  on 
this  point  ? 

Have  men  a  right  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  infinite  mind 
of  Jehovah,  and  his  acts  ? 

Is  not  this  the  only  question  here, — whether  or  not  is  this 
doctrine  taught  in  the  Bible  ? 

Is  not  the  opposition  to  this  doctrine  founded  on  irration- 
al prejudices  ? 

Give  the  plain  illustration  of  this  doctrine  from  the  case 
of  a  hundred  state  prisoners. 

Can  you  name  any  rational  objection  to  this  doctrine  ? 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  191 

Name  the  popular  objections  to  it. 

What  say  you  in  reply  to  the  objection,  that  it  represents 
God  to  be  partial  ?  Did  he  pass  by  all  the  fallen  angels  1 
Was  that  partiality? 

"  If  a  man  be  not  chosen,  he  cannot  be  saved,  let  him  do 
what  he  may."  Ifow  do  you  reply  to  this  1  The  first  re- 
reply?  The  second?  The  third?  The  fourth?  The 
fifth  ? 

"  God  has  made  no  provision  in  the  atonement  for  the 
non-elect,  how  can  you  offer  Christ  to  him  ?"  Refute  this. 
Your  first  reply?  Your  second,  in  three  fundamental  doc- 
trines ? 

Recite  Dr.  J.  Dick's  observations  on  this  point. 

Place  Calvinism  and  Arminianism  in  contrast  on  this 
important  point.  What  is  the  first  point  of  contrast  ?  The 
second? 

State  the  blasphemy  involved  in  this  doctrine  of  Armi- 
nius.  What  are  the  three  consequences, — one  of  which  must 
be  the  result  ? 

What  was  President  Edwards'  sentiment  on  this? 

What  is  the  conclusion  arising  from  the  doctrine  of  that 
sect,  that  all  men  are  made  "salvable?" 

What  is  the  Calvinistic  view  in  opposition  to  this? 

Is  not  this  doctrine  most  liberal,  consoling,  and  Godlike  1 

Is  opposition  to  the  decree  of  election  popular  with  the 
world,  which  hates  sjoiriiual  religion  ? 

Does  not  the  Arminian  view  of  the  decree  actually  re- 
verse the  divine  order,  in  Acts  xiii.  48  ? 

What  are  the  four  attributes  of  this  divine  decree  ? 

Is  not  this  doctrine  clearly  laid  down  in  the  creeds  of  all 
the  Reformed  Churches  ? 

Have  you  studied  this  doctrine  with  humility  on  your 
knees  before  God? 

Express  freely  your  views  and  feelings  on  it. 


192  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 


MEDITATION. 

**  They,  therefore,  as  to  right  belonged, 

So  were  created,  nor  can  justly  accuse 

Their  Maker,  or  their  making,  or  their  fate, 

As  if  predestination  overruled 

Tlieir  will,  disposed  by  absolute  decree, 

Or  high  foreknowledge.     They  themselves  resolved 

Their  own  revolt, — not  I. —  If  I  foreknew, 

Foreknowledge  had  no  influence  on  tlieir  fault, 

Which  had  no  less  proved  certain,  unforeseen." 

Milton. 

What  a  sublime  doctrine!  What  an  humbling  truth! 
When  I  lift  my  eyes  to  the  throne  of  God,  I  am  overwhelm- 
ed with  a  sense  of  my  guilt,  and  vileness.  Can  a  child  of 
Adam  persuade  himself  that  he  has  claims  on  the  sovereign 
mercy  of  his  Judge  1  Can  he  persuade  himself  that,  if  he 
obtain  not  these  claims,  God  is  partial?  Before  what 
law  would  he  present  his  claims?  Before  God's  law? 
That  very  law  has  its  awful  and  unanswerable  claims 
against  hirn  !  Will  he  bring  his  claims  on  God,  into  the 
court  of  divine  justice  ?  That  justice  has  put  in  claims 
against  him,  before  which  no  man  can  stand  ;  and  which 
no  man  can  answer,  without  sinking  into  endless  perdi- 
tion !  Proud  and  daring  mortal !  Canst  thou  dream  of 
claims?  Possessest  thou  a  controlling  will  to  determine 
God's  acts  of  mercy  ?  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  us,  0 
Lord.  We  cast  ourselves  over  on  thy  free  grace,  and 
abounding  mercy.  Teach  us  to  feel  impressively  that  we 
owe  every  thing  to  the  sovereignty  of  thy  love. 

Has  the  guilty  doomed  criminal  a  right  to  find  fault  with 
the  human  judge,  if  he  pardon  him,  and  not  another  ?  Can 
he  find  room  to  blame  him  if  he  pardon  another,  and  not 
him  ?  The  principle  of  right  and  equity  is  the  same  in 
both  these  cases.  Can  the  pardon,  or  the  death  of  another 
criminal,  make  any  alteration  in  the  position  of  a  condemn- 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  193 

ed  criminal,  before  the  law,  and  the  court  of  justice?  Were 
a  criminal  to  forget  the  guilt  of  his  crimes,  and  load  the  su- 
preme pardoning  power  with  opprobrium  for  not  pardoning 
him,  as  well  as  others,  who  would  feel  disposed  to  stand  for- 
ward, to  defend  the  impudence  of  guilt  1  And  shall  man, 
guilty  and  vile  man,  set  himself  in  judgment  on  his  Maker 
and  Judge ! 

I  rejoice  to  believe  that  the  decree  of  God's  selecting  love 
cannot  be  charged  with  the  allegation  that  the  minority  is 
elected,  and  that  few  are  saved.  It  is  true  in  our  days,  as 
it  was  in  our  Saviour's  days,  that  "  many  were  called  and 
few  were  chosen."  This,  1  humbly  conceive,  does  not  decide 
the  grand  final  result.  In  the  last  day  of  the  closing  victo- 
ry, our  conquering  Redeemer  shall  have  the  "great  man's 
portion  ;  and  the  strong  man's  spoils."*  Who  can  sup- 
pose that  the  vanquished  powers  of  hell  can  have  more  of 
the  trophies,  and  spoils  than  the  glorious  conqueror  ?  Be- 
sides the  death  of,  perhaps,  the  majority  of  our  race  in  infan- 
cy, who  have  their  place  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and 
the  innumerable  myriads,  who  shall  pass  to  glory  in  the 
thousand  years'  reign  of  Christ ;  and  the  testimony  of  the 
beloved  disciple,  who  saw,  in  the  visions  of  glory,  "  multi- 
tudes in  heaven  whom  no  man  could  number," — do  all  go  to 
confirm  the  cheering  truth  that  by  far  unspeakably,  the  ma- 
jority will  be  saved. 

And,  in  reference  to  the  priority  of  choosing,  can  I  he- 
sitate on  the  question,  whether  the  sovereign  Creator  has  a 
right  to  choose  first, — or  man,  the  right  to  choose  Him 
first  1  Oh  !  how  can  such  a  question  be  even  agitated  in 
the  bosom  of  man,  whose  habitation  is  a  hut  of  clay  !  Can 
the  criminal  in  the  dungeon  cell  set  up  a  claim  "  to  choose 
the  governor's  pity  "  first,  and  prescribe  to  him  his  course 
of  conduct  ?     Oh !  my  God,  I  was  a  vile  rebel  before  thee. 

♦  Isai.  liii.  12, 
17* 


194  OF  god's  love  selecting  us 

Thou  sawest  ine  in  my  ruin.  I  knew  thee  not.  Thou 
didst  pity  me  :  thou  didst  love  me  first.  Thou  movedst  me 
to  love  thee.  And,  if  thou  hadst  not  loved  me  first,  I  never 
had  known  thee,  nor  loved  thee  ! 

How  impenetrable  the  mystery  of  this  divine  decree ! 
No  one  can  know  his  election,  until  he  does,  by  his  faith, 
penitence,  and  holy  life,  "  make  his  calling,  and  thence  his 
election,  sure"  to  his  own  conscience.  No  man  can  cer- 
tainly know  that  he  is  not  elected,  as  long  as  he  is  in  the 
land  of  the  living.  No  man  can  be  certainly  assured  of  his 
non-election,  until  his  impenitent  and  guilty  soul  hears  his 
last  sentence  burst  in  thunder  on  his  ears  from  the  judgment- 
seat  of  God. 

This  secret  decree  of  election,  and  non-election,  cannot 
be  any  rule  of  my  conduct.  Secret  things  belong  to  God  ; 
to  us  belong  the  things  revealed.  The  fact  of  the  decree  is 
fully  revealed  to  me.  But,  the  pages  of  the  book  of  life 
have  not  been  opened  to  man,  or  angel.  No  one  knows 
the  names  in  the  decreed,  while  he  is  on  earth.  But,  this  I 
know,  that  I  am  commanded  peremptorily  to  seek  the  Lord 
while  he  is  to  be  found.  This  I  do  know,  that  if  I  believe 
in  Christ,  I  shall  be  saved.  And,  then,  if  I  follow  on  to 
know  the  Lord  in  the  revealed  path  of  duty,  the  fruits  of  a 
holy  life  will  witness  with  my  spirit,  that  I  am  a  child  of 
God.  And,  on  the  contrary,  if  I  believe  not,  and  obey  not, 
I,  thence,  hdve  none  of  the  fruits,  and  evidences  of  God'a 
children.  I  am,  thence,  working  out  the  evidence  of  my 
being  a  reprobate. 

In  the  absence  of  the  proper  evidence,  the  anxious  soul 
has  just  as  good  a  right  to  suppose  that  he  is  one  of  the 
chosen,  as  that  he  is  a  non-elect.  That  is,  without  this  le- 
gitimate, and  prescribed  testimony,  he  has  no  evidence  on 
the  one  side,  or  the  other.  Let  the  troubled  soul  hasten 
then  to  betake  himself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  by  a  true  and  liv- 
ing faith,  and  break  oifhis  sins  by  godly  penitence  through 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  195 

the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  thus  he  will  work  out 
the  evidence  of  his  election  by  grace. 

"  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy."  This 
disclosure  of  God's  will  resolves  all  into  the  divine  sove- 
reignty over  his  guilty,  and  condemned  subjects !  This 
should  hush  every  murmur  into  a  quiet  submission  ;  and 
urge  us  on  to  "  work  out  our  salvation"  by  all  the  decreed 
means ;  knowing  this  for  our  assurance  of  success,  that 
"  God  worketh  in  us  both  to  will,  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure." 

And,  let  me  ever  bear  in  mind  that  all  these  means  to 
attain  the  decreed  end,  are,  every  one  of  them  also,  as  cer- 
tainly decreed  as  is  the  grand  end  of  the  salvation  of  our 
souls.  If  I  am  elected  to  eternal  life,  I  am  certainly  elect- 
ed to  faith,  to  repentance,  to  a  life  of  holiness,  to  the  spe- 
cial use  of  all  God's  ordinances,  and  the  diligent  persever- 
ance in  all  of  them,  to  the  end  of  my  earthly  course.  If  I 
take  away  the  intervening  links,  I,  thence,  cut  off  the  con- 
nection between  the  divine  choice,  and  the  final  result. 
That  is,  I  destroy  all  my  hopes  of  election,  as  set  forth  in 
the  gospel.  I  indulge  in  the  theory  of  a  new  doctrine  of 
election  unknown  in  the  Holy  Bible. 

Blessed  be  God  for  the  solid  basis  which  this  immutable 
decree  lays  in  Zion,  for  holiness,  and  good  works.  If  I 
cultivate  all  the  divine  graces,  I  shall  receive  the  consoling 
assurance  that  I  am  a  chosen  vessel.  And  being  in  this 
state,  I  am  ever  in  the  hands  of  my  God.  I  feel  it.  I  en- 
joy it.  I  rejoice  in  it.  No  enemy  can  prevail  against  me. 
I  can  never  fall  from  the  love  of  my  God.  This  is  an  ad- 
ditional, and  powerful  stimulus  to  every  virtue  of  a  holy 
life.  For  I  am  sure  of  victory  over  Satan,  the  world,  and 
the  flesh,  and  death !  Glory  for  ever  be  to  the  Triune 
God,  for  his  everlasting  decree  of  selecting  love.     Amen. 


196  OF  god's  love  selecting  U3 


A  PRAYER. 

0  incomprehensible  and  sovereign  majesty  !  I  tremble 
while  I  look  up  to  thee.  I  dare  not  approach  thee,  as  an 
absolute  God.  Thou  art  terrible  in  thy  justice.  Thou  art 
a  consuming  fire  to  sinners.  But,  blessed  be  thy  name  for 
"the  still  small  voice"  which  utters  a  Father's  name,  and 
our  Redeemer's  love,  and  the  compassion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ! 

O  sovereign  and  matchless  love  !  0  divine  and  bound- 
less mercy  !  Thy  compassion  saw  us  wretched  outcasts, 
hurrying  headlong  to  destruction.  Thou  laidst  thy  hand  on 
me,  and  carriedst  me  safe  away  from  the  devouring  flames  ! 
Blessed  be  thy  eternal  love  to  me,  the  chief  of  sinners. 
Surely,  0  Lord  God,  if  thou  hadst  not  chosen  me  to  faith, 
to  love,  and  holiness,  and  spiritual  freedom  of  will,  I  never 
would  have  had  a  heart  to  love  thee,  nor  a  will  to  elect  thee 
as  the  supreme  object  of  my  choice  !  Be  thou  exalted  over 
all.     Let  me  be  humbled  in  the  dust ! 

To  thy  everlasting  love,  0  my  heavenly  Father;  and  to 
thy  unbought  grace,  0  my  Redeemer  ;  and  to  thy  rich  and 
munificent  mercy,  0  Holy  Spirit ;  do  I  owe  all  that  I  am, 
and  all  that  I  hope  to  be.  Thy  love,  O  Triune  God  !  begat 
faith,  and  love  in  me.  The  rod  of  the  word  smote  this 
flinty  heart  of  mine,  and  made  the  waters  of  sorrow,  and 
penitence  flow  out.  My  love  could  never  beget  thy  love  ! 
My  guilt  could  not  awaken  thy  terrible  justice  to  an  act  of 
mercy!  My  vileness  could  not  woo  to  me  the  love  of  thine 
adorable  and  spotless  purity  !  All  is  of  free,  and  sovereign 
grace  1     0    love  divine  !     Surpassing  all  understanding  ! 

0  height,  and  depth  :    breadth,  and  length  of  divine  love  ! 
Without  beginning  I  Immutable!    Everlasting!     What  am 

1  in  thy  sight !     What  am  I  to   conceive  it  possible  that  I 
could  rule  thy  will,  or   win  by  merit,  thy  everlasting  love  ! 


IN    CHRIST    OUR    SUBSTITUTE.  197 

0  my  God,  take  me,  body,  and  soul,  and  all ;  and  make  me 
thine  own.  And,  in  the  events  of  human  life,  may  I  ever 
remember  that  I  am  chosen  in  Christ  to  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  thee  in  love.  I  humbly  beseech  thee  **  to  work 
all  my  works  in  me,  and  take  all  the  honour  to  thy  name." 
Cherish,  and  confirm  my  faith.  Establish  me  in  love,  and 
divine  hope  :  and  help  me  to  follow  Christ  in  all  things. 
Then  shall  I  joyfully  glorify  thee  by  a  sweet  and  consoling 
assurance  that  I  am  accepted  in  the  Beloved  ;  and  am  adopt- 
ed into  thy  family.     And  thence,  through  growth  in  grace, 

1  shall  arrive  at  the  divine  consolation,  and  abiding  hope 
that  I  am  a  vessel  of  mercy,  elected  in  Christ  before  all 
time.     "  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT. 

"  That  when  they  see 

Law  can  discover  sin,  but  not  remove, 

Save  by  those  shadowy  expiations  weak, 

The  blood  of  bulls,  and  goats,  they  may  conchide 

Some  blood  more  precious,  must  be  paid  for  man  j 

Just  for  unjust:  that  in  such  righteousness 

To  them  by  faith  imputed,  they  may  find 

Justification  toward  God  ;  and  peace 

Of  conscience;   which  the  law  by  ceremonies 

Cannot  appease,  nor  man  the  mortal  part 

Perform  :  and  not  performing,  cannot  live !" 

MlLTOM. 

We  have  seen  that,  on  the  supposition  that  our  God  had 
purposes  of  mercy  on  us,  it  was  only  through  a  substitute 
that  this  mercy  could  flow.  Now,  on  the  certain  assump- 
tion, that  our  substitute  presented  himself  for  us,  it  was  in- 
dispensably necessary  that  he  should  give  the  requisite 
atonement  for  us.  The  necessity  of  the  atonement  is  an 
all-important  doctrine.  It  is  absolutely  essential  to  our  sal- 
vation. Permit  me,  dear  brethren,  to  impress  on  you  a 
deep  sense  of  its  necessity. 

Sin,  though  a  debt,  is  not  a  human  debt.  It  cannot  be 
forgiven  like  a  mere  debt  of  man.  It  is  a  debt  contracted 
against  infinite  justice,  infinite  purity,  infinite  power !      It 


THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT.  199 

has  no  limit,  or  bounds,  in  turpitude  and  guilt.  It  is  a  debt 
which  ivill  be  exacted,  and  imcst  be  paid.  The  passing  it 
by,  or  the  blotting  it  out,  by  a  gratuitous  act  of  pity,  and 
friendship,  would  be  an  injury  done  to  infinite  justice.  It 
would  be  infinitely  unjust !  It  would  be  an  injury,  and  a 
violence  offered  to  infinite  purity,  and  the  divine  govern- 
ment. It  would  be  infinitely  impious  !  It  cannot,  there- 
fore, be  done.  Hence  the  Lord  declares, — that  "  he  will,  by 
no  means,  clear  the  guilty." — "Without  shedding  of  blood, 
there  is  no  remission  !" 

Moreover,  God  did  from  the  beginning,  utter  the  terms 
and  penalty  of  his  law.  "  In  the  day  thou  rebellest  by 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  thou  shalt  surely  die."  "  The 
soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die  !" 

Now,  whatever  God  has  uttered  once,  to  one  generation 
of  his  subjects, — that  he  is  always  renewing  on  the  ears  of 
every  following  generation.  Whatever  moral  law  he  en- 
joins on  one  class  of  his  subjects,  in  one  age,  that  he  is  en- 
joining on  all  generations.      Here  are  his  words, — "He 

WILL,  BY    NO    MEANS,  CLEAR  THE   GUILTY."       This,   He  haS 

uttered  on  man's  ears  since  the  day  of  Adam's  fall.  This  he 
is  now  uttering  on  the  ears  of  all  men.  This  he  will  utter 
through  all  time,  and  in  all  eternity.  For,  it  is  simply  the 
voice  of  the  Most  Holy  One  giving  an  ever-living  testi- 
mony to  the  necessary  purity,  and  perfections  of  his  God- 
head. "He  will,  by  no  means,  clear  the  guilty." 
And  his  infinite  purity,  and  justice  do  ever  move  on  in  all 
their  acts  with  his  infinite  power.  To  his  will  in  "not 
clearing  the  guilty,"  his  omnipotence  gives  an  irresistible 
and  terrific  efficiency.  He  cannot  pass  by  the  guilty.  The 
acts  of  his  power  are  as  distinct  as  the  expression  of  his 
will,  on  this  matter. 

If  it  were  possible  that  God  should  "  clear  the  guiltv," 
and  admit  rebels  to  divine  favour,  and  into  heaven,  without 


200  THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT. 

an  adequate  satisfaction  from  us,  or  a  substitute, — what 
would  be  the  result  1  Then,  in  that  case,  allow  n:ie  to  speak 
the  impious  supposition, — the  God  of  eternal  truth,  should 
be  always  uttering  what  is  not  truth,  in  the  face  of  all  his 
subjects  !  If  he  should  clear  the  guilty, — then,  the  God  of 
infinite  holiness  should  be  always  saying  one  thing,  and  al- 
ways doing  another  !  Should  he  clear  the  guilty,  thus, — 
and  receive  the  unransomed,  and  unsanctified  soul  into  hea- 
ven,— then,  the  most  faithful  One  should  be  always  frown- 
ing upon  the  guilty,  and  always  blessing  them !  The 
righteous  Judge  would  be  always  rewarding  the  wicked,  and 
always  uttering  their  condemnation  !  The  Just  and  pure 
One  would  be  always  removing  every  distinction  between 
the  virtuous  and  vicious,  the  holy  and  unholy  ;  and  always 
separating  them  by  an  impassible  gulph!  The  King  of 
heaven  would  be  always  placing  the  fallen,  and  unholy  upon 
the  same  footing  of  grace  and  acceptance,  with  the  unfallen 
and  sinless  in  heaven  :  and  he  would  be  always  placing  an 
impassible  barrier,  high  as  the  battlements  of  heaven,  and 
deep  as  the  bottomless  pit,  between  them  ! 

The  Judge  of  all,  "  will,  therefore,  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty."  Although  "  he  is  slow  to  anger ;  he  is  great  in 
power  ;  and  will  not,  at  all,  acquit  the  wicked."  "  He  is 
of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil :  and  he  cannot  look  upon 
iniquity."  '*  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  And  as  ne- 
cessarily as  the  flame  consume  the  dry  stubble,  so  necessa- 
rily, by  the  very  nature  of  divine  purity,  will  justice  con- 
sume the  sinner.  Hence,  *' without  shedding  of  blood 
THERE  IS  NO  REMISSION."  That  is  to  Say,  an  atonement 
was  absolutely,  and  indispensably  necessary,  to  secure  man's 
salvation  ;  and  preserve  unimpaired  the  divine  government, 
honour,  and  glory. 


THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT.  201 


aUESTIONS. 

Was  not  the  atonement  absolutely  necessary  ? 

Did  the  admission  of  a  substitute,  set  aside  the  necessity 
of  the  atonement? 

Can  sin  be  blotted  out  by  God,  as  a  debt  is  by  man  ? 
Proof.     Give  a  text  to  illustrate  this. 

If  I  deny  the  necessity  of  atonement,  do  I  not  thereby 
abolish  the  penalty  of  the  law,  and  the  strength  of  the  law  ? 
Explain,  and  illustrate  this. 

Is  not  that  which  God  utters  to  his  subjects  of  one  gene- 
ration, in  like  manner,  uttered  by  God  to  us,  and  all  men  ? 

Hence,  are  not  the  threatenings  of  the  law's  penalty  still 
repeated  on  our  ears,  as  much  as  ever  ? 

Were  God  to  admit  any  one  into  heaven,  without  the 
law's  penalty  being  fully  honoured,  would  not  our  Holy 
Gull,  inthat  case,  be,  at  once  condemning,  and  at  the  same 
time  glorifying,  the  soul  before  him,  in  heaven  ?  Explain 
and  illustrate  this  important  doctrine. 

Is  not  opposition  to  the  necessity  of  the  atonement  to  be 
ascribed  to  the  mournful  ignorance  of  God's  justice,  and  the 
iiature-of  sin? 

Explain  fully  your  own  views,  and  feelings  on  these  im- 
nonant  topics. 

MEDITATION. 

I  call  upon  my  sou),  and  all  that  is  in  me,  to  render  what 
is  just  and  right,  to  my  God's  prerogatives,  and  claims.  I 
admire,  and  adore  the  very  strict,  and  unyielding  justice  of 
my  God.  In  his  vengeance  on  sinners,  I  see  his  spotless 
purity  and  perfect  holiness,  giving  efficiency  to  his  law,  and 
sustaining  his  government,  unimpaired.  In  his  terrible 
judgments,  I  see  and  adore  his  impartial  justice,  restoring 
order ;  and  his  omnipotence  subduing  treason,  and  rebellion 

18 


202  THE    NECESSITY    Of    THE    ATONEMENT. 

in  his  empire.  In  the  fearful  glory  of  justice,  I  see  and  ad- 
mire the  beauty  of  his  divine  holiness.  His  perfect  love  of 
parity,  and  holiness,  shines  forth  in  his  inflexible  justice. 
The  more  terrible  these  displays  are,  the  more  do  perfectly 
holy  beings  love,  and  adore,  and  honour  him.  None  but 
the  guilty,  and  the  lovers  of  sin,  and  degradation,  can  have 
any  other  feelings  toward  the  Just  and  Holy  One,  than  those 
of  love,  admiration,  and  rapturous  adoration ! 

Were  man  allowed  to  go  on  in  crime,  and  die  in  his  sin, 
and  yet,  after  all,  be  received  to  the  reward  of  heaven,  with- 
out an  INFINITE  satisfaction,  all  order  would  be  at  an  end  ; 
and  all  peace,  and  security  denied  to  the  faithful  and  holy  : 
and  the  purity  of  the  divine  government  tarnished  ;  and  its 
glory  departed.  Hence  the  terrible  severity  of  God  against 
sin  is  nothing  more  than  a  strong  expression  of  his  love 
of  order,  and  righteous  government,  and  his  fixed  pur- 
pose to  grant  peace,  and  security  to  the  faithful  and  holy  in 
all  his  empire.  His  terrible  justice  against  the  damned,  ex- 
hibits the  overwhelming  light,  and  overpowering  beauty  of 
divine  holiness.  These  strong  vindications  of  his  rights 
and  honour  throw  a  new  and  eternal  glory  around  the 
throne  ;  and  give  stable  security  to  the  ransomed,  and  to 
angels,  that  they  shall,  without  interruption,  enjoy  their 
rights,  and  happiness,  and  gloiy  for  ever  ! 

No  sober  mind  can  persuade  itself  that  all  the  pompous 
grandeur  of  the  world's  preparation  ;  and  that  of  the  church, 
for  the  coming  of  Messiah,  by  the  solemn  system  of  the 
ceremonial  law,  and  all  the  predictions  of  Messiah's  sor- 
rows, and  agonies,  and  death, — indicated  no  more  than  the 
simple  mission  of  the  Mighty  One,  as  a  teacher  only,  or  as 
a  martyr,  to  set  us  an  example  merely  how  to  live,  and  how 
to  die.  All  this  he  verily  was.  All  this  he  verily  did. 
But,  blessed  be  his  adorable  majesty.  King  Messiah  did 
immeasurably   more.     He  was  a   priest    on    his   throne. 


THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT.  203 

"  He  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ;  being  made 
a  curse  for  us." 

God's  honour  will  not  allow  the  pardon  of  sin  without 
satisfaction,  in  the  same  manner  as  man  forgives  a  debt, 
without  full  payment.  A  comparison  should  not  be  mista- 
ken for  an  argument.  The  Most  High  cannot  sacrifice 
his  honour,  nor  his  justice,  nor  the  existence  of  his  divine 
government.  Did  he  pass  by  the  guilty  without  an  atone- 
ment, he  would  sacrifice  his  honour,  which  has  pro- 
nounced the  penalty  before  all  his  moral  subjects  ;  and  de- 
clared that  the  penalty  shall  not  be  trifled  with ;  and  that  sin 
cannot  go  unpunished.  He  would  have  sacrificed,  in  that 
case,  his  justice.  For  God's  law,  and  government  have 
infinite  claims, — even  claims  befitting  the  infinite  majesty 
of  Almighty  God,  against  rebels,  and  their  self-perpetuating 
crimes.  To  take  no  vengeance  on  sin,  is  to  admit  the 
sinner  unpardoned,  and  polluted,  into  heaven.  This  would 
be  rewarding  rebellion.  This  would  be  passing  by  unpu- 
nished, crimes  of  infinite  demerit.  This,  in  fact,  would  be 
itself,  an  act  of  infinite  injustice  to  his  law,  his  govern- 
ment, and  himself !  This  would  sacrifice  justice,  law,  and 
the  equity  of  his  supreme  and  holy  government.  And  for 
what  object  1  Merely  to  oblige  thankless  rebels !  Hence, 
Satan,  and  traitors  would  bear  sway  in  the  divine  empire  ! 
Hence,  the  throne  of  the  Most  Holy  One  would  be  over- 
turned :  and  the  rebellion  of  earth,  and  hell  would  triumph 
in  the  dominions  of  Jehovah  !  This  is  not  even  suppo- 
sable  ! 

The  atonement  was  absolutely  necessary.  It  could  in 
no  case  be  dispensed  with,  on  the  supposition  that  our 
Heavenly  Father  purposed  to  save  us.  To  deny  its  neces' 
sity,  is  to  deny  its  reality.  And  with  this,  you  take  away 
all  hope,  all  peace,  all  joy,  all  happiness, — nay,  heaven  itself, 
from  our  fondest  anticipation. 

But,  in  the  fact  of  our  Saviour^s  substitution, — and  in  the 


204  THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT. 

fact  of  his  obedience  for  us, — and  in  the  fact  of  his  suffer- 
ings, and  death  for  us,  I  do  see,  to  my  perfect  satisfaction, 
in  this  matter, — the  brightest  light  of  heaven's  demonstra- 
tion shed  on  this  all-important  doctrine.  For,  if  the  atone- 
ment was  not  absolutely  and  essentially  necessary,  then  all 
this  mighty  preparation  of  !he  Father,  and  all  these  mighty 
works,  and  these  sorrows,  and  this  death  of  Messiah,  were 
utterly  in  vain  !  As  certainly  as  thou  wast  slain,  0  Holy 
Lamb  of  God,  so  certainly  hast  thou  met  the  inflexible  ne- 
cessity of  law,  and  justice  for  me  ;  and  hast  redeemed  me 
by  thy  own  blood  ! 

And  in  all  this,  behold,  0  my  soul,  the  awful  nature  of 
sin,  and  rebellion  against  God.  "  Fools  make  a  mock  at 
sin."  And,  thence,  they  see  not, — they  feel  not,  the  neces- 
sity of  our  Lord's  atonement.  So  do  not  I  ;  so  never  shall 
I  do,  0  my  God.  I  tremble, — and  fall  down  at  the  foot 
of  thy  cross,  0  my  dear  and  blessed  Redeemer !  I  am 
guilty, — guilty,  and  miserable,  0  my  God  !  I  am  confound- 
ed,— I  am  overwhelmed,  with  the  overpowering  evidences 
of  the  terrible  evil  of  sin.  My  eyes  behold,  everywhere, 
the  complicated  sufferings,  and  agonies  of  man !  Every- 
where are  the  varied  and  horrid  forms  of  death  seen  :  the 
inconceivable  sorrows,  and  the  cursed  death  of  my  Redeem- 
er, on  the  cross  :  and  the  unutterable  horrors  of  the  doomed, 
in  the  bottomless  pit ; — all,  all  proclaim  that  there  is  a 
boundless,  an  infinite  evil  in  sin  !  Oh  !  my  compassionate 
God,  what  would  have  been  my  deplorable  condition,  had 
Jesus  not  interfered  in  my  behalf! 

Here,  I  sit  down  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  Here,  let  me 
learn  to  be  crucified  to  the  flesh,  with  all  its  lusts. 

*<  It  was  the  sight  of  thy  dear  cross 

That  weaned  my  heart  from  earthly  things ; 
And  taught  me  to  esteem  as  dross, 

The  pride  of  fools,  and  pomp  of  kings  f" 


THE    NECESSITY    OF    THE    ATONEMENT.  205 

And,  finally,  since  the  atonement  was  absolutely  necessa- 
ry to  open  the  new  and  living  way  into  heaven ;  let  my 
soul  be  deeply  impressed  with  this  abiding  conviction,  that 
if  I  reject  this  one,  only,  and  all-sufficient  atonement,  I 
must  be  doomed  to  give  a  satisfaction  for  myself,  for  ever  and 
ever,  in  the  place  of  weeping,  wailing,  and  endless  despair ! 

PRAYER. 

0  God,  thy  law  I  confess  to  be  holy  and  just.  And  in  its 
awful  light,  I  see  my  sins  ever  before  me.  I  am  oppressed 
with  their  guilt.  They  weigh  me  down,  like  a  mountain. 
And  this  guilt  is  never  stationary.  Sin,  when  left  to  itself, 
waxes  worse,  and  worse.  And,  0  my  God !  did  not  thy 
arm  arrest  the  progress  of  sin,  in  the  world,  and  punish  in 
thy  wrath,  the  enormous  guilt  of  rebel  men,  and  fallen  spi- 
rits, they  would  break  up  all  order  in  thy  dominion,  and 
government.  They  would  destroy  all  peace  ;  banish  all 
holiness  in  the  earth  ;  and  fill  thy  empire  with  boundless 
and  endless  crimes  !  But,  die  they,  or  justice  must !  For 
Thou  art  most  Holy  and  Almighty.  I  confess,  0  Lord,  that 
our  crimes  cannot  be  restrained  and  punished,  without  the 
terrific  vengeance  of  thy  law  falling  on  our  persons.  And 
falling  on  us  in  the  exaction  of  a  punishment  due  to  God's 
government,  on  account  of  an  infinite  evil,  we  must  pe- 
rish for  ever,  and  ever.  And,  I  do  confess,  0  most  Holy 
and  Just  One,  that  this  punishment  can  never, — never  be 
set  aside.  And  it  never  shall  be  set  aside — for  thou  art 
faithful.  It  may  be  transferred,  and  laid  upon  another. 
And,  blessed  be  thy  name,  0  Lord,  it  has  been  transferred 
over  to  thee,  and  laid  on  thee,  0  my  blessed  Redeemer. 
What  an  affecting  proof  of  the  necessity  of  the  atonement. 
We  must  die  for  ever, — or  the  honour  of  justice,  and  law, 
and  the  divine  government  be  destroyed.  0  glorious  ex- 
pedient !  0  unsearchable  love  !  Christ  took  our  place, 
and  stead  before  the  majesty  of  the  law.  And  being  thus 
18* 


206  THE    NECESSITY    OF     THE    ATONEMENT. 

constituted, — die  he  must !  The  whole  punishment  was  ex- 
acted of  him  to  the  uttermost.  "  It  is  finished  !"  And 
he  bowed  his  head,  and  gave  up  his  spirit.  And  gloriously, 
O  my  Redeemer,  didst  thou  magnify  the  law,  and  make  thy 
justice  most  honourable  !  O  the  wisdom,  and  love  divine, 
and  past  finding  out,  of  my  heavenly  Father !  O  the  rich 
grace  of  Jesus,  who  became  poor  that  we,  through  his  po- 
verty, might  be  made  rich  !  O  the  unsearchable  goodness 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  invincible  grace  applies  the 
atonement  to  our  souls  ! 

And,  now,  grant,  O  my  God,  that  I  may  feel  that  all  my 
sins  have  been  laid  on  my  surety  ;  and  that  they  have  all 
been  taken  away  by  him.  Grant  me  the  testimony  in  my 
spirit,  that  I  am  his,  and  he  is  mine.  O  grant  me  the 
sweet  and  abiding  peace  of  the  man  who  is  freely  justified 
by  his  blood  ;  and  cleansed  by  his  Spirit.  May  1  be  quick- 
ened daily,  in  thy  holy  way.  May  I  grow  in  grace  ;  and 
abound  in  every  good  word,  and  work.  Bring  me  up,  0 
Blessed  Spirit,  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ,  even  to  the  perfect  man. 

These,  0  bountiful  and  gracious  God  !  are  all  thy  own 
gifts  ;  freely  given  by  thy  unbought  love,  without  money 
and  price,  on  our  part.  They  are  all  thy  gifts,  purchased  and 
secured  by  the  blood  of  my  Redeemer,  who  opened  up  the 
new  and  living  way  for  justice,  harmonizing  with  mercy,  in 
giving  gifts  to  rebellious  man  !  And  I  love  these  gifts  the 
more  for  this.  I  rejoice  in  them  as  thy  o%vn  free  gifts. 
Sweet  are  pardon  and  peace  to  the  guilty.  O,  how  sweet 
these  precious  blessings  are  to  my  soul,  coming,  as  they  do, 
from  thy  grace  ; — thy  love  ; — thy  mercy,  0  my  covenant 
God  ! — And,  now,  accept  the  homage  of  my  poor  heart, 
and  the  services  of  my  life.  0,  accept  them  for  his  sake, 
who  died  on  the  tree  for  me !  And  all  the  glory  shall  be 
thine  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  ever  :  Amen. — Our  Father  who 
art  in  heaven,  &c. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


OUR    SUBSTITUTE, WHAT     HE    MUST     BE  ;    AND   WHAT     HE 

MUST    DO,    AS    OUR    SURETY. 

" Nor  can  this  be 

But  by  fulfilling  that  which  thou  didst  want, 

Obedience  to  the  law  of  God  imposed 

On  penalty  of  death,  and  suffering  death, 

The  penalty  to  thy  transgressions  due : 

And  due  to  theirs  which  out  of  thine  will  grow. 

So  only  can  high  justice  rest  appeased. 

The  law  of  God,  exact,  he  shall  fulfil, 

Both  by  obedience,  and  by  love,  though  love 

Alone  fulfil  the  law  :  thy  punishment 

He  shall  endure,  by  coming  in  the  flesh. 

To  a  reproachful  life,  and  cursed  death  !" 

Milton. 

Here  the  questions  arise,  what  must  the  Substitute  be  ; 
and  what  must  he  do,  whom  the  Father  will  cause  to  draw 
near  to  him  ;  and  who  engaged  his  heart  to  approach  to 
Jehovah?"* 

He  must  be  One  who  is  able,  and  willing  to  meet  fully 
every  want,  and  every  exigency  in  our  deplorable  condition. 

First : — It  behoved  him  to  be  our  "  near  kinsman  ;" 
"bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh  :"  a  truly  perfect 

*  Jer.  XXX.  21. 


208  OUR   SUBSTITUTE  ; 

human  being  in  body  and  soul.  Man  had  sinned ;  man 
is  under  the  law.  The  law  requires  body  for  body,  and 
soul  for  soul.  No  angelic  being  could  be  a  substitute  for 
us.  An  angel  has  not  our  nature  to  offer.  Besides,  an 
angel  has  no  right  to  offer  up,  in  the  stead  of  another,  that 
which  is  not  his  own.  The  substitute  must  not  take  on 
him  the  nature  of  spirits ;  but  the  human  nature,  that  had 
sinned. 

Second  : — He  must  be  a  pure  and  spotless  man,  and  so  be 
mo7'ally  able  to  "  restore  what  he  took  not  away."  He 
who  is  overwhelmed  with  debt,  cannot  be  a  surety  to  pay 
the  debts  of  another.  He  who  is  himself  a  sinner,  cannot 
meet  the  claims  of  justice,  as  a  substitute  for  others. 

Third  : — The  substitute  must  be  more  than  a  mere  crea- 
ture. He  must  be  sovereign  lord  over  his  own  soul,  and 
body ;  so  that,  without  robbery,  he  may  be  able  to  "  lay 
down  his  life,  and  take  it  up  again." 

You  must  perceive,  at  once,  that  no  creature  whatever,  is 
sovereign  lord  over  its  own  being.  Every  created  being  is, 
in  virtue  of  his  creation,  the  inalienable  property  of  God. 
And,  therefore,  he  has  no  right,  nor  warrant  to  take  what  is 
not  his  own,  and  offer  it  as  a  sacrifice  unto  death,  for  ano- 
ther. Such  a  substitution  would  be  a  positive  violation  of 
divine  law,  and  justice.  No  being  can  be  our  substitute 
who  cannot  stand  up  before  the  throne  of  justice,  and  say, 
— "  I  have  power  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to 
take  it  again."  He  must,  therefore,  be  more  than  a  crea- 
ture. But  every  thing  above  a  creature  is  God  absolutely. 
Hence,  it  behoved  our  substitute  to  be  God,  and  man  in  one 
person. 

Fourth  : — Our  substitute  must  be  one  who  can  not  mere- 
ly take  away  guilt  by  a  sacrifice,  but  give  his  divine  pledge 
that  all  the  ransomed  shall  infallibly  be  reinstated  into  that 
spotless  purity  of  nature  which  we   lost ;  and   presented 


HIS    qUALIFICATlOXS.  209 

without  blemish,  and  perfect  in  the  great  day.  Without 
this,  ,his  work  could  not  be  complete. 

Fifth: — It  behoved  our  substitute  to  be  "made  under 
the  law  :"  and  thence,  to  render,  at  the  call  of  law  and  jus- 
tice, the  most  exact  and  complete  obedience  thereto  in  all 
things.  And  this  obedience  must  be  in  his  every  action  of 
body,  and  soul,  according  to  the  requirements  thereof,  in 
perfect  love  to  God,  and  man.  It  must  be  obedience  in 
sufferings,  and  in  death  itself.  By  the  first,  the  law  must 
be  "magnified  and  made  honourable,"  as  holy,  just, 
and  good.  By  the  last,  the  honour  of  the  divine  justice, 
and  government  must  be  sustained  in  all  their  purity,  and 
honour.  We  have  seen  already,  that  without  the  shedding 
of  man's  blood,  there  can  be  no  remission  of  sin.  God's 
law  and  government  had  been  violated,  and  wantonly  in- 
sulted by  rebels.  God  had  declared  in  the  penalty,  that  the 
rebel  shall  surely  die.  God  could  not  say  one  thing,  and 
do  another  in  the  face  of  all  his  intelligent  creatures.  He 
could  not  permit  his  justice  and  government  to  be  rejected, 
violated,  and  trampled  under  foot.  This  would  have  been 
the  consequence  had  He  allowed  man  to  go  on  without  the 
execution  of  the  penalty,  even  to  the  letter  thereof.  Now, 
as  the  love  of  God  had  resolved  to  transfer  to  the  substitute 
that  which  behoved,  otherwise,  to  fall  on  us,  it  follows,  of 
course,  that  that  substitute  must  be  under  the  law  in  an  ac- 
tive and  PASSIVE  obedience. 

Sixth: — It  behoved  our  substitute  to  be  the  "Mighty 
One,"  who  could  give  a  pledge,  and  security  that  the  ran- 
somed should  not  only  have  the  holy  nature  reinstated  in 
them,  but  that  this  holy  and  new  heart  should  show  the  fruits 
of  sincere  obedience,  and  a  holy  life  here  ;  and  be  consum- 
mated in  holiness,  and  glory  in  heaven. 

Lastly  : — It  behoved  Him  who  is  our  substitute,  to  secure 
to  his  church  a  glorious  emancipation  from  every  enemy. 
These  may  be  all  arranged  under  four  classes, — Satan,  the 


210  OUR  substitute; 

world,  the  flesh,  and  death.  This  will  be  the  consummation 
of  his  work  as  Mediator.  This  will  be  the  completion  of 
our  sanctification,  and  the  beginning  of  our  everlasting 
glory.  Until  this  be  done,  our  salvation  cannot  be  com- 
pleted. Until  this  be  done,  we  cannot  reign  with  Him  in 
our  perfected  bodies,  and  souls,  in  his  mansions  of  glory. 

All  this  it  behoved  our  substitute  to  be  :  and  all  this  it 
behoved  him  to  accomplish,  when  ''he  engaged  his  heart  to 
approach  to  the  Lord,"  on  our  behalf. 

aUESTIONS. 

Will  an  awakened  sinner  be  willing  to  rely  on  any  kind 
of  a  Saviour  ?     No,  when  he  is  truly  illumined. 

Will  not  a  truly  awakened  sinner  anxiously  inquire  into 
the  fulness  and  perfectness  of  Christ? 

WTiat  did  it  behove  our  Redeemer  to  be,  and  to  do  for  us? 
Give  the  general  view,  and  explanation  of  this. 

What  behoved  He  to  be,  in  the  first  place  ?  Give  the 
reason  why  he  behoved  to  have  oiir  nature. 

What  is  the  second  requisite  in  his  official  character  ? 

The  third  ?     Could  a  mere  man  ransom  us?  Proof? 

The  fourth? 

The  fifth?     Illustrate  this. 

The  sixth  requisite  ? 

The  last  one  ?  What  are  the  four  enemies  of  God,  and 
man,  which  Christ  will  destroy  ? 

Have  you  anxiously  looked  to  Christ's  fulness,  and  per- 
fectness, as  your  Saviour,  your  only,  and  all-sufficient  Sa- 
viour ? 

MEDITATION. 

"For  this,  he  shall  live  hated,  be  blasphemed, 
Seized  on  by  force,  judged,  and  to  death  condemned, 
As  shameful  and  accursed,  nailed  to  the  cross, 


HIS    dUALIFICATlONS.  211 

By  his  own  nation  :  slain  for  bringing  life. 
But  to  the  cross  he  nails  his  enemies, 
The  law  that  is  against  thee,  and  the  sins 
Of  all  mankind,  with  him  there  crucified, 
Never  to  hurt  them  more,  who  rightly  trust 
In  this  his  satisfaction." 

Milton. 

God's  work  of  our  redemption  is  one  of  glory,  and  gran- 
deur. It  contemplated  no  less  than  the  restoration  to  God, 
and  the  entrance  into  heaven,  of  the  innumerable  millions 
of  the  ransomed.  It  sustained  the  divine  government ;  it 
brought  forward  all  the  divine  attributes  in  their  beauty, 
harmony,  and  glory,  without  a  spot  falling  on  any  of  them. 
It  involved,  of  necessity,  the  overthrow  of  the  reign  of  sin, 
and  the  world,  and  Satan,  and  death.  What  a  magnificent 
plan  of  mercy  ! 

This  was  to  be  done  by  purchase,  and  by  power.  Where 
the  claims  were  just,  and  inalienable,  as  were  those  of  di- 
vine justice  and  law, — they  were  to  be  met  by  a  perfect  satis- 
faction ;  God  being  Judge.  Where  the  claims  were  usurp- 
ped, — as  were  those  of  Satan,  the  world  and  the  flesh,  they 
were  to  be  exterminated  by  power. 

The  achievement  of  all  this  was  a  mighty  work.  And  he 
who  could  leave  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  come  into  our 
world  by  the  act  of  taking  our  nature  into  union  with  his 
divine,  in  one  person,  can  be  no  ordinary  son  of  Adam. 
He  must  be  One  "mighty  to  save:"  One  infinitely  above 
mere  humanity.  He  must  be  "  a  child  born  ;"  that  is,  truly 
participating  of  our  nature.  He  must  be  "  a  son  given,"* 
— the  Son  of  God  given,  and  appointed  to  be  mediator. 
And  he — and  he  alone,  who  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God  by 
a  natural,  necessary,  and  eternal  filiation,  could  sustain  this 
glorious  office^««ttd  achieve  the  mighty  work.     He  could 

♦  Isai.  ix.  6. 


212  OUR  substitute; 

not  have  accomplished  the  work,  had  he  been  one  whom 
office  had  elevated  to  an  official  sonship.  He  alone  could 
go  through,  unshrinking,  in  the  mighty  achievement,  who, 
being,  as  the  Eternal  Son,  "the  express  image  of  the  Fa- 
ther's person," — the  Father's  perfect  "  equal,  and  fellow," — 
could  bring  into  the  field,  an  infinite  worth,  an  infinite  pow- 
er, and  infinite  sovereignty  of  his  own  ;  and  thus  throw  an 
infinity  of  worth,  and  excellence,  into  the  obedience,  suffer- 
ings, and  death  of  the  son  of  man.  He  behoved  to  bring 
a  real,  and  a  proper  matter  of  a  sacrifice :  that  is,  a  true 
humanity,  possessed  of  spotless  holiness  and  perfection. 
He  behoved  to  have  the  altar  on  which  to  offer  this  sacrifice 
to  God.  That  is,  his  divine  and  eternal  sonship,  and  his 
supreme  Godhead.  That  altar  alone  can  render  the  sacri- 
fice, and  offering  of  infinite  value,  on  the  part  of  the  son 
of  man. 

0  my  soul,  where  canst  thou  look,  in  the  hour  of  thy  men- 
tal agony  1  Where  shall  I  find  the  Saviour  and  the  Great 
One?  Where, — under  what  name  alone,  upon  earth,  can  I 
find  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  son  of  man,  in  one  person, 
— prepared  to  purchase  the  church,  with  his  own  blood : 
and,  mighty  in  power  to  overthrow  every  enemy  1  Shall  I 
look  for  him  in  the  rival  and  contradictory  schools  of  the 
philosophers  1  No,  no.  They  bear  on  their  foreheads  the  sen- 
tence of  their  condemnation.  Shall  I  look  for  him  among 
the  children  of  nature,  who  rear  an  idol  to  the  dead  and  de- 
parted hero, — reason  1  No,  no.  They  bear  on  their  hands, 
and  on  their  foreheads  the  sentence  of  blasphemy,  and  death. 
Must  I  look  for  him  in  the  rank  of  the  common  and  mere 
sons  of  Adam, — a  mere  man, — a  mere  teacher, — a  mere 
martyr !  What  a  monstrous  absurdity,  to  think  that  a  mere 
man, — a  sinful  man  under  condemnation  himself,  can 
undertake  a  work  which  none  but  the  Great  God,  and  Sa- 
viour can  achieve  ?  What  a  manifest  absurdity,  that  a  mere 
man, — a  mere  teacher, — under  condemnation  himself, — can 


HIS    QUALIFICATIONS.  213 

enter  the  lists,  and  by  his  own  power,  conquer  Satan,  and 
the  world,  and  the  flesh,  and  death  itself!  Yet  there  are 
those  who  are  led  into  this  extravagance.  ''  O  judgment ! 
thou  art  fled  to  brutish  beasts  ;  and  men  have  lost  their  rea- 
son !" 

No  :  no :  I  shall  not  be  deceived.  In  my  Redeemer  I 
see  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth.  In  him  I  see  a 
pure  human  nature,  and  a  divine  sonship.  I  see  in  him 
the  Father's  equal.  "  He  was  with  God,  as  the  eternal 
Son!  and  is  God,"  in  his  divine  essence.  His  name  is 
"  The  Wonderful  !"  In  him  are  the  most  wonderful 
contrasts.  He  is  the  humblest  and  most  sorrowful  of 
men.  He  is  the  most  exalted  and  glorious  of  all  beings. 
He  is  the  best  of  all  friends :  he  is  the  most  tremendous 
of  all  enemies  ! — "  As  for  our  Redeemer,  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
is  his  name."  "He  is  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousands, 
and  altogether  lovely."  And  this  is  the  only  Saviour  I 
shall  ever  seek,  or  trust  in.  Guide  me  to  him,  and  to  him 
alone, — 0  Holy  Ghost,  in  whom  my  soul  confides,  in  all 
things. 

PRAYER. 

0  Lord,  open  mine  eyes,  that,  being  brought  out  of  dark- 
ness, I  may  discern  the  truth.  Leave  me  not  to  the  natu- 
ral insensibility  of  my  heart,  and  utter  indifference  about  a 
Saviour.  Let  the  terrors  of  thy  law,  sent  in  mercy,  0  Lord, 
reach  this  obdurate  heart,  and  make  me  afraid  of  the  judg- 
ment. I  ask  not  for  smooth  things  to  be  prophesied  to  me ; 
nor  things  of  deceit.  O  Lord,  let  thy  law  send  its  flash  of 
conviction  into  my  heart,  even  as  it  proceeded  from 
thy  presence  on  Mount  Sinai.  Searcher  of  hearts,  0  hide 
not  from  me  the  worst  of  my  condition.  Scatter  the  fatal 
delusions  which  encompass  a  sinner's  soul,  and  heart.  Let 
the  irresistible  flash  of  thy  law's  light,  reveal  every  hidden 
sin  ;  and  every  idol  within  the  lurkings,  and  windings  of 

19 


214  OUR    SUBSTITUTE   ; 

my  deceitful  heart.  And  feeling  as  I  ought  to  do,  the  ter- 
rible, and  soul-ruining  nature  of  sin,  stir  me  up,  0  Lord, 
to  the  work  of  seeking  the  one,  only,  and  ali-sufiicient  Sa- 
viour. 

I  confess  before  thee  that  I  am  convinced  that  no  one, 
who  comes  merely  as  a  teacher,  and  to  set  an  example, 
were  he  even  from  God,  and  were  he  even  to  seal  his  testi- 
mony with  his  blood,  as  a  martyr, — can  ever  be  my  Re- 
deemer. Lord,  I  believe  that  mere  instruction  brings  no 
satisfaction  to  the  urgent  claims  of  thy  divine  law,  and  jus- 
tice. Mere  instruction  from  the  holiest  of  thy  prophets,  on 
the  mount  of  inspiration,  can  bring  no  pardon  from  thy 
throne,  to  my  guilty  soul :  and  no  new  principle  to  the 
heart,  to  enable  me  to  return  to  thee,  0  Lord.  "  I  am  dead 
in  sins  and  trespasses."  Mere  teaching  can  never  raise 
the  dead.  Persuasion  can  send  no  life,  nor  divine  grace 
into  the  heart.  0  my  God  !  I  need  more  than  a  teacher. 
In  my  guilt  and  misery,  I  need  one  to  stand  up  between 
the  throne  of  justice,  and  me  :  to  satisfy  for  the  overwhelm- 
ing claim  against  me.  I  need  one  who  is  the  son  of  man, 
to  ransom  me  by  his  own  blood  ;  and  one  who  can  add  an 
infinite  worth  and  merit,  to  his  interposition  on  my  behalf, 
as  the  Son  of  God.  I  need  a  Saviour  of  boundless  com- 
passion :  and  of  infinite  power.  Such  a  Saviour  alone  can 
deliver  from  going  down  to  the  pit.  Such  a  Saviour  alone  can 
conquer  every  foe,  which  fills  my  soul  with  distraction,  and 
despair.  0  my  Redeemer  !  reveal  thyself  to  me  as  the  only 
one  who  can  stand  up  between  the  throne  of  the  consum- 
ing fire  of  divine  purity  ;  and  who  can  lay  thy  hand  on  both 
parties, — on  God,  as  the  Son  of  God  ;  on  man,  as  the  Son 
of  Man  ;  and  mediate  peace  between  us.  0,  thou  Son  of 
God,  and  Son  of  Man !  have  mercy  upon  me.  Thou  only 
canst  be  my  Saviour.  Thou  only  art  my  Saviour.  There 
are  lords  many,  and  gods  many.  I  am  prone  to  wander 
from  thee  under  the  strong  delusions  of  my  corrupt  nature. 


HIS    QUALIFICATIONS.  215 

Great  and  blessed  teacher  !  lead  me  to  the  foot  of  the  cross 
of  Christ :  there  I  see  him  bleed  and  die  ;  I  hear  his  last 
words, — It  is  finished  !  Lead  me  to  the  throne  of  his  grace 
in  heaven.  There  he  is  a  priest  upon  his  throne.  There 
he  makes  intercession  for  us.  This  is  my  only  Saviour. 
And  none  in  earth, — none  in  heaven,  shall  divide  the  crown 
with  him.  On  thy  head,  blessed  Redeemer !  "  are  many 
crowns."  I  crown  thee  Lord  of  all,  with  all  my  heart,  and 
with  all  my  soul.  And  now,  0  Triune  God  !  accept,  I  humbly 
beseech  thee,  my  person,  and  services  for  Jesus  Christ's 
sake. — "Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  &c. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST    OUR    ONLY  SURETY  ; HE  FULLY 

MET    ALL    THE    REQ,UISITIONS    OF    LAW,    AND    JUSTICE. 

"  True  image  of  the  Father ;  whether  throned 
In  the  bosom  of  bliss,  and  light  of  light 
Conceiving;  or,  remote  from  Heaven,  inshrined 
In  fleshly  tabernacle,  and  human  form, — 
Hail !  Son  of  the  Highest,  heir  of  both  worlds, 
dueller  of  Satan  !     On  thy  glorious  work 
Now  enter,  and  begin  to  save  mankind  !" 

Milton — Paradise  Regained. 

Every  thing  requisite  to  sustain  the  office  of  our  substitute 
is  found  in  Christ.  In  him  is  fulfilled  the  prediction,  on 
which  the  eyes  of  the  church  were  fixed  in  all  generations. 
He  was  "the  child  born,"  as  well  as  "the  Son  given  :" 
he  is  the  son  of  man,  born  of  the  Virgin  ;  our  near  kins- 
man, "  our  flesh,  and  our  blood."  He  is  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God,  equal  in  glory,  and  every  attribute  of  divi- 
nity with  the  Father.  Hence,  he  was  without  spot,  and  sin- 
less. When  he  assumed  human  nature,  in  mysterious  union 
with  his  divine  nature,  it  was  done  at  the  first  moment  of  its 
formation,  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Hence,  as  it  existed  not  a 
moment  by  itself,  and  apart  from  his  divine  person,  it  was 
from  its  earliest   existence  always  his  nature.     Hence,  it 


JESUS    CHRIST    OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  217 

was  not  represented  by  Adam,  the  federal  head  of  all  his 
descendants,  by  ordinary  generation.  It,  therefore,  did 
not  sin  in  Adam,  nor  fall  in  him.  It  partook,  therefore,  of 
no  original  guilt,  nor  depravity.  For  the  Great  God,  our 
Saviour,  could  not  be  represented  by  man.  Accordingly 
he  is  presented  to  our  faith  as  "  The  holy,  the  harmless,  the 
undefiled,  the  separated  from  sinners;  and  made  higher 
than  the  heavens." 

Moreover,  being  the  Son  of  God,  by  eternal  filiation, 
and  being  equal  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  is 
-the  absolute  possessor,  and  lord  of  his  own  life,  as  Son  of 
Man.  Hence,  "  he  had  the  power  to  lay  down  his  life  ; 
and  power  to  take  it  again."  And  being  thus  fully  qualified 
as  our  substitute,  he  made  his  appearance  in  our  world  at 
the  appointed  time,  and  entered  on  his  glorious  work, — the 
achievement  of  our  redemption. 

First : — .As  our  substitute,  he  officially  presented  to  God 
the  Father,  a  human  nature  of  spotless  purity.  This  was 
the  first  part  of  the  oblation  required  of  him.  This  he  did 
when  he  presented  himself  to  the  Law  of  God,  "  and  re- 
stored that  which  he  took  not  away."  Psalm  Ixix.  4. — This 
he  did  when  he  "  engaged  his  heart  to  draw  near  to  God  :" 
and  when  for  our  sakes  "  he  sanctified  himself,"  and  thereby 
set  himself  apart  to  the  accomplishment  of  his  suretyship. 
"  Lo  !  I  come,"  cried  he,  in  the  voice  of  love  and  cheering 
assurance, — "  Lo  !  I  come  :  in  the  volume  of  the  book  it 
is  written  of  me, — I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  ;  yea, 
thy  law  is  within  my  heart."     Psalm  xl.  8,  9. 

Second : — He  pledged  his  power,  and  honour,  to  restore 
all  the  ransomed  to  the  pure  and  holy  nature  which  they  had 
lost.  This  he  makes  manifest  by  the  word  of  his  assur- 
ance, and  from  the  evidence  of  facts.  Here  are  his  pledges. 
"  The  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thy  heart,  to  love  the 
Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul." 
«•  A  new  heart  will   I   give  you  ;  and  a  new  spirit  will  I 

19* 


218  THE     LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

put  within  you."  "  The  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly." 
"  When  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him."  "  He  will 
change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his 
glorious  body."* 

And  the  facts,  in  confirmation  of  this,  are  written  in  in- 
delible characters  in  the  heart  of  every  soul  that  is  born  of 
God,  and  made  a  new  creature. 

Third  : — He  rendered  a  perfect  obedience  to  God's  holy 
law.  The  claims  of  the  broken  and  insulted  law  he  fully 
honoured  and  sustained.  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to 
destroy  the  law  :  I  come  not  to  destroy  the  law,  but  to  fulfil." 
"  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me  ;  and  to 
finish  his  work."  His  whole  soul  was  in  this  service  :  his 
whole  heart  was  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  divine  will, 
and  law.  He  never  erred  :  he  never  faltered  in  the  line  of 
duty.  His  Father's  will  received  his  supreme,  and  undi- 
vided homage.  His  love,  his  zeal,  and  devotion  in  all 
things,  were  sustained  in  unwavering  perfection  to  the  close 
of  his  wonderful  career.  He  never  fell  short  in  the  strictest 
requirement.  He  never  failed  in  a  duty  to  God,  or  man. 
Every  thought,  every  affection,  every  desire,  every  word, 
every  prayer,  every  action,  was  precisely  in  place,  and  in 
due  season,  and  came  fully  up  to  perfection  of  the  divine 
law.  Every  principle  from  which  the  thought  and  action 
sprung,  was  holy ;  every  motive  for  which  they  were  ren- 
dered up  to  the  law,  was  spotless  as  his  pure  soul.  His 
whole  life  was  one  unwavering  exhibition  of  all  holiness 
within,  and  of  all  the  virtues  without.  What  love,  and 
piety,  and  devotion  toward  God  !  What  condescension,  and 
compassion,  and  benevolence  toward  man  !  What  forbear- 
ance, and  pity,  and  forgiveness  toward  enemies  !  Reproach 
broke  his  heart;  while  not  a   murmur   escaped   his    lips. 

*  Deut.  XXX.  6.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.  1  Thes.  v.  23.  1  John  iii.  2. 
Phil.  iii.  21. 


OUR   ONLY    SURETY.  219 

When  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again.  When  the  lips 
of  rebels  cursed,  he  pitied,  and  blessed.  When  insulted 
and  abused  by  Jews  and  Romans,  he  was  ever  ready  to 
display  acts  of  good-will.  When  the  fiery  zeal  of  a  servant 
of  his,  cut  off  the  ear  of  one  of  his  enemies,  he  courteously 
interfered,  and  by  miraculous  power  healed  the  wound. 
When  Jerusalem  persisted  in  rejecting  the  Messiah,  he 
wept  over  it.  When  the  murderers  were  imbruing  their 
hands  in  his  blood,  he  cried  out, — "  Father,  forgive  them, 
for  they  know  not  what  they  are  doing  !"  And  in  closing 
this  hallowed  oblation  of  his  obedience  unto  death,  how 
affecting,  and  instructive  was  his  appeal  in  the  extremity  of 
his  agonies, — "  And,  now.  Holy  Father,  come  I  unto  thee  I 
I  have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth  ;  I  have  finished  the 

WORK    which    thou    GAVEST    ME    TO    DO." 

And  his  Father  set  the  eternal  seal  of  his  approbation  on 
this  obedience  of  his  Son.  This  he  did,  when  responding 
to  our  Lord's  solemn  appeal, — "  Father,  glorify  thy  name,^^ 
— there  came  a  voice  in  thunder  from  heaven,  saying, — "  I 
have  both  glorified  it  once,  and  I  will  glorify  it  again." 
This  he  did,  when,  in  the  matchless  agony  of  his  sufferings, 
there  appeared  an  angel  from  heaven  strengthening  him ! 
This  he  did,  when  he  burst  the  barrier  of  the  tomb,  and  led 
forth  the  prince  of  life  from  the  dead.  This  he  did  when 
he  placed  him  as  Mediator  on  the  throne  of  supremacy,  and 
crowned  him  Lord  of  all ! — So  complete,  and  perfect  was 
the  active  obedience  of  our  substitute. 

Fourth  : — He  justified  his  character,  as  our  substitute,  by 
giving  surety  for  the  perfect  obedience  of  all  the  ransomed. 
Let  it  be  distinctly  remembered  that  our  Redeemer  bound 
himself  to  make  us  an  obedient,  and  holy  people,  as  well 
as  to  deliver  us  from  the  curse  of  law,  and  the  pains  of 
hell.  His  obedience  to  the  divine  law  was  not  designed  to 
supersede  the  necessity  of  our  obedience  to  God.  On  the 
contrary,  it  secured  it.     For,  it  is  just  as  certain  that  Christ 


220  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

^'  left  us  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps,"  as  it 
is  certain  that  ''  he  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law 
by  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  It  was  as  much  the  object 
of  the  Father  and  Son  in  the  everlasting  convention  of 
grace,  to  secure  our  holiness,  as  it  was  to  secure  our  escape 
from  the  wrath  impending  on  guilty  rebels.  It  was  as  cer- 
tainly in  the  purpose  of  the  Father  in  sending  his  Son,  and 
of  the  Son  in  coming  into  our  world,  to  secure  our  personal 
holiness,  and  final  perfection  ;  as  it  was  to  ransom  us  from 
the  punishment  of  the  second  death.  Let  us  never  forget, 
therefore,  that  our  blessed  Lord  entered  upon  his  work  with 
the  full  purpose  of  making  us  holy,  as  well  as  of  setting  us 
free  from  death,  and  hell.  Hence,  his  intercessory  prayer  at 
the  brook  Kidron, — "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself,  that 
they  also  may  be  sanctified  through  the  truth."  And  accor- 
dingly, "he  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  to  himself  a  peculiar  people, 
zealous  of  good  works."  Titus  ii.  14.  And  he  presents  all 
the  ransomed  at  last,  "  holy,  unblameable,  andunreproveable 
in  the  Father's  sight."  Col.  i.  22. 

And,  in  demonstration  of  the  words  of  his  assurance,  we 
have  the  visible  fruits  of  his  power.  We  see  around  us  the 
saints  walking  with  him,  and  with  each  other,  in  the  lovely 
beauties  of  holiness.  And  in  the  vast  assembly  of  the 
church  triumphant,  we  shall  see  the  final  consummation  of 
his  pledged  work.  Each  one  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  on 
his  throne,  with  his  robe,  his  sceptre,  and  his  diadem  of 
glory,  is  there,  in  consequence  of  being  washed,  and  made 
spotlessly  holy,  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

Fifth  : — There  was  another  branch  in  the  great  work  of 
atonement ;  and  that,  also,  our  substitute  accomplished. 
He  gave  satisfaction  to  divine  justice.  We  have  seen  that 
this  was  essentially  necessary  in  order  to  complete  the 
atonement.  It  was  impossible  that  God  could  be  unjust,  in 
order  to  his   being   a  Saviour.     It  was  impossible  that  he 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  221 

could  allow  law,  justice,  and  his  divine  government  to  be 
trampled  under  foot ;  and  treated  with  mockery,  and  success- 
ful rebellion.  It  was  impossible  that  he  should  pronounce 
the  law  and  its  penalty,  and  yet  never  visit  on  the  head  of 
the  guilty,  the  appalling  consequences  of  breaking  this  most 
holy  law,  and  incurring  this  terrible  penalty.  It  was  im- 
possible that  Almighty  God  should  be  always  repeating  this 
law,  and  always  enforcing  this  penalty ;  and  yet,  at  the 
same  time,  always  trifling  with  his  own  faithfulness,  and 
power. 

Hence,  there  is  a  weight,  and  clearness  of  evidence  with 
which  Christ's  satisfaction  is  brought  forward  in  the  high  and 
holy  revelations  of  heaven  ;  which  is  altogether  unequalled. 
Every  divine  passage  which  alludes  to  him  as  our  substitute, 
reveals  him  in  the  most  positive  and  unequivocal  terms, 
as  the  great  saaijicial  substitute.  He  is  set  forth  before 
the  church,  as  a  priest, — the  great  high  priest,  standing  up 
between  the  devouring  fire  of  justice,  and  his  church. 

He  had  all  the  requisities  of  our  high  priest.  He  pos- 
sessed the  real,  and  the  proper  matter  of  a  sacrifice  in  his 
human  nature.  It  was  real :  he  possessed  human  nature, 
complete  and  perfect,  as  Adam  was  in  Paradise,  fresh  from 
the  hand  of  his  Maker.  It  was  the  proper  material :  it  was 
without  spot,  and  blameless.  Moreover,  being  the  eternal 
Son  of  God,  he  was,  as  we  said  before,  the  sovereign  Lord 
and  absolute  disposer  of  his  own  life.  He  had  the  right 
and  the  power,  to  lay  down  his  life  ;  and  the  right,  and  the 
power  to  take  it  up  again.  And  his  divine  nature  was  the 
altar  on  which  he  laid  down  this  pure  and  spotless  offering 
of  his  sacrifice.  And  as  the  altar  consecrated  the  sacrifice, 
and  rendered  it  accepted  ;  so,  the  altar  of  our  Lord's  divinity 
consecrated  his  sacrifice,  and  made  it  of  infinite  worth  be- 
fore his  Father,  and  our  Father. 

Being  thus  prepared  and  consecrated,  he  stood  forth,  and 
assumed  our  place  before  law  and  justice.     This  was  done 


222  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

by  a  judicial  act  of  God  the  Judge,  and  the  cheerful  consent 
of  the  Son.  "  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the 
law."  And  as  he  approached  us  in  this  mission, — he  cried 
out, — "  Lo  !  I  come, — I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God  !" 
And  accordingly  he  "  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  Psalm  xl.  8.  Gal.  iv.  13. 

These  expressions  make  it  manifest  that  there  was  a  real 
exchange  of  persons  on  our  behalf.  The  arms  of  divine 
mercy  lifted  us  up  from  the  terrible  fires  of  law,  and  uncom- 
promising justice  ;  and  before  them,  burning  in  all  their 
intensity,  the  Judge  placed  Christ.  He  took  our  place. 
He  gave  body  for  body,  and  soul  for  soul.  "  He  was  made 
under  the  law :  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us."  The  just  was 
put  in  the  place  of  the  unjust.  1  Pet.  iii.  IS. 

The  result  of  this  exchange  of  persons  by  substitution, 
was  strictly  and  legally  this  :  namely,  a  real  transfer 
OF  OUR  GUILT  UPON  OUR  SUBSTITUTE.  For,  being  made 
under  the  law  for  us  ;  and  occupying  the  place  of  those  who 
were  bound  to  meet  the  claims  of  justice,  our  guilt  was  le- 
gally his,  by  his  voluntary  assumption.  He  assumed  the 
debt.  It  was  actually  his.  Hence,  being  his,  in  law,  it 
was  charged,  or  imputed  unto  him.  The  consequence  was, 
that  he  was  treated  before  the  throne  of  impartial  justice,  as 
if  he  had  contracted  these  sins,  as  his  own  debt.  This  all- 
important  and  peculiar  gospel  doctrine  is  clearly  demon- 
strated from  these  proofs. 

First : — We  direct  your  attention  to  the  Old  Testament 
sacrifices.  Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  manifest  than  the 
doctrines  therein  set  forth.  There  was  the  victim  presented 
without  spot,  and  blemish.  There  was  the  priest  presenting 
the  victim.  There  was  the  solemn  confession  of  sins  on  the 
head  of  the  victim,  which  had  none  of  its  own.  There  was, 
in  consequence  of  this  transfer  of  guilt,  the  stroke  of  death 
inflicted  on  the  victim  after  this  typical  transfer.     There 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  223 

was  the  fierce  fire  which  consumed  the  sacrifice  on  the 
altar  ;  while  in  one  unique  part  of  the  great  whole,  the 
scape-goat  filled  .up  the  measure  of  representation.  While 
its  mate  was  consumed,  it  was  let  go  into  the  wilderness, 
bearing  the  sins  of  the  people. 

"  These  were  shadowgr  of  things  to  come,"  says  the  Holy 
Spirit.  These  types  had  an  antitype.  And  that  was  no 
less  than  "the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world."  The  victim  was  put  in  the  sinner's  place.  So 
was  our  Lord.  The  victim  suffered,  but  not  for  itself.  So 
did  our  Lord  die,  the  just  for  the  unjust.  The  victim 
carried  away  the  sins  of  the  people  into  a  land  unknown. 
Our  Lord  took  away  our  sins  into  the  land  of  oblivion.  So 
clearly  were  the  worshippers  of  the  ancient  church  taught 
the  grand,  essential,  most  solemn  doctrines  of  substitution, 
exchange  of  person,  transfer  of  guilt,  and  real  atonement. 
See  Heb.  x.  1—19. 

Second  : — This  is  taught  very  clearly  in  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel.  "  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions  ;  he 
was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  the  chastisement  of  our 
peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  by  his  stripes  are  we  healed." 
"  Jehovah  has  laid  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all."  "  For 
the  transgressions  of  my  people  was  he  stricken."  "  Thou 
shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin."  "  He  himself  bore 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."  "  God  made  him  to 
be  sin,  that  is, — a  sin  offering  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin."* 

Third  : — There  are  certain  facts  in  our  Lord's  life,  and 
his  decease,  which  are  inexplicable  on  any  other  supposition, 
than  those  of  substitution  and  atonement. 

It  is  a  fact,  that  our  Lord  yielded  a  perfect  obedience  to 
the  divine  law.  It  is  a  fact,  that  he  suffered  in  his  soul  and 
body,  the  pains  of  hell,  and  the  accursed  death  of  the  cross. 
Hear  his  words  : — "  My  soul  is  troubled."     "  My  soul  is 

*  Isaiah  liii.     2  Cor.  v.  21. 


224  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

exceedingly  sorrowful,  even  unto  death."     "  My  God,  My 
God  !  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  1" 

Now,  beyond  controversy  the  law  had  no  claims  on  our 
Lord.  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh"  could  owe  no  debt  of 
obedience.  But  "  he  was  made  under  the  law."  Hence,  as 
this  could  not  be  for  his  own  account,  it  must  have  been  for 
us,  as  our  substitute.  Being  made  under  the  law,  he  did 
give  the  most  cheerful,  and  exact  obedience.  This  could 
not  be  without  an  object ;  and  as  it  could  not  possibly  be 
on  his  own  personal  account, — it  must,  of  course,  have  been 
given  in  our  name,  and  on  our  behalf. 

In  like  manner,  he  owed  no  debt  of  punishment  for  him- 
self. In  the  exact  government  of  God,  no  innocent  and 
spotless  being  can  be  subjected  to  punishment.  But,  true 
it  is,  that  he  did  actually  suffer  the  shameful,  and  most  painful 
death  of  the  cross,  and  the  pains  of  hell  itself.  Hence,  he  must 
have  had  sin  laid  to  his  charge.  For,  as  we  have  seen,  a 
sinless  being  can  never  be  subjected  to  punishment, — far 
less  to  the  pains  of  hell.  And,  inasmuch  as  he  had  no 
spot,  nor  even  stain  of  guilt  on  him,  on  his  own  account, 
— all  his  sorrows,  and  agonies  must  have  been  for  our  sins. 
For  all  his  agonies,  and  death  could  not  have  been  in  vain. 

This  is  the  only  solution  of  these  phenomena  in  our 
Lord's  life,  and  decease.  Unless  we  admit  the  fact  of  his 
substitution,  and  his  sacrificial  death  for  us,  they  are  utterly 
inexplicable  ;  and  without  cause,  or  reason.  For,  as  these 
could  not  have  been  in  vain  ;  so  neither  can  we  suppose 
that  the  pure  and  sinless  Redeemer  suffered  as  a  sinner  on 
his  own  personal  account. 

Such  is  the  work  of  our  Redeemer.  And  here  let  us  no- 
tice the  names  by  which  it  is  made  known  to  us. 

It  is  the  Reconciliation, — because  it  opens  up  a  chan- 
nel to  divine  mercy  to  flow  to  the  chief  of  sinners  ;  and  it 
brings  us  near  to  God,  by  removing  all  that  which  kept  us 
away  from  him,  in  a  state  of  terror,  shame,  and  hatred. 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  226 

It  is  a  Redemption, — because  it  was  the  full  payment 
of  the  ransom  price  of  our  deliverance  from  guilt,  and  cap- 
tivity. 

It  is  the  Satisfaction.  Sin  is  a  debt :  the  wages  of  sin 
is  death.  And  we  were  held  bound  to  pay  this  debt,  and 
die  the  death.  God's  law,  and  truth,  and  justice  could  not 
allow  us  to  be  free.  "Thou  shalt  surely  die."  Christ,  our 
substitute,  took  our  place ;  he  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death ; 
and  thereby  made  this  satisfaction  for  us. 

It  is  called  Christ's  Righteousnkss, — because  it  came 
up  to  the  full  measure  of  a  right  and  perfect  obedience ;  ac- 
tive and  passive,  to  law  and  justice. — The  word  rendered 
righteousness,  literally  signifies  Justice.  This  is  highly 
beautiful,  and  expressive.  For  our  Redeemer's  substitution, 
and  his  finished  work  render  equal  and  full  justice  to  all 
parties, — to  law,  to  justice,  to  equity,  to  each  of  the  divine 
attributes.  And  it  is  an  act  of  justice  to  Christ,  and  to  each 
of  his  ransomed,  that  they  should  be  justified,  sanctified, 
and  glorified  through  his  blood.  It  exhibits,  in  every  point 
of  view,  the  fullest,  and  most  splendid  triumph  of  justice, 
ever  displayed  in  the  divine  government. 

It  is  Christ's  Atonement,  and  Propitiation, — because 
it  met,  and  fully  answered,  and  honoured  every  claim 
against  men.  Hence,  divine  justice  is  pacified:  and  God 
is  now  propitious  to  us.  The  word  atonement  signifies  in 
the  original,  a  covering.  Christ  made  a  covering  for  us 
to  hide  us  from  justice,  and  the  curse  of  the  law.  This  co- 
vering is  his  blood.  Being  sprinkled,  and  "  covered"  with 
his  blood,  that  is,  with  his  atonement,  the  divine  wrath  can- 
not consume  us.  It  has  accepted  that  which  our  Redeemer 
gave  for  us.  When  the  Father,  as  judge,  sustaining  the 
honour  of  law  and  justice,  looks  on  us,  under  this  "cover- 
ing," he  sees  us  covered  with  the  righteousness  of  his  own 
well  beloved  Son,  our  Redeemer.  And,  as  his  anger  can- 
not go  forth  against  the  substitute  any  more,  who  has  made 

20 


226  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

an  ample  and  accepted  atonement :  so,  no  more  can  it  go 
forth  against  us  when  under  the  hiding  of  his  righteousness. 
It  is  called  Christ's  Merits, — because,  by  his  blood  "he 
obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us."  Heb.  ix.  12.  "  He 
purchased  the  church  with  his  own  blood."     Acts  xx.  28. 

It  is  called  his  Suretyship, — because  it  is  the  payment 
of  the  fatal  debts  due  from  us, — and  paid  by  him  as  "  the 
surety  of  the  better  covenant,"  on  our  behalf. 

It  is  Christ's  Sacrifice  and  Offering, — because  he  of- 
fered himself  up  a  sacrifice  to  satisfy  divine  justice.  His 
human  nature  was  the  sacrifice  required  for  us.  His  divine 
nature  was  the  altar,  which  consecrated  the  whole  service, 
and  rendered  it  of  infinite  value, — as,  indeed,  the  atonement 
of  Christ,  like  every  other  moral  work  of  God,  must  of 
necessity  be. 

Finally, — it  is  called  the  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  This 
is  the  most  common,  as  well  as  the  most  solemn,  and  im- 
pressive name  by  which  it  is  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. And  it  necessarily  conveys  to  us  this  strong  and 
consolatory  idea,  namely, — The  unlimited  pecfectness 
of  our  Lord's  atonement.  Because,  the  shedding  of  his 
blood  was  the  closing,  and  highest  act  of  his  perfect  obe- 
dience,— the  full  and  complete  consummation  of  his  vicari- 
ous obedience,  sufferings,  and  death. 

And  let  us  accept  the  consolation  arising  out  of  the  com- 
plete evidence,  and  testimony  of  the  perfection  of  our  Lord's 
atonement.  First :  We  have  the  divine  approbation  of  the 
Father,  given,  1st,  upon  the  Son's  public  entrance  upon  his 
work,  when  a  voice  from  heaven  declared, — "  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  And  2d,  when, 
through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  the  Father 
brought  him  from  the  dead.  This  put  the  seal  of  heaven's 
high  approbation  :  and  the  evidence  of  perfection  on  the 
atonement.     And  it  set  it  before  the  church,  and  the  world, 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  227 

in  the  demonstration  of  his  fullest  approbation,  and  accept- 
ance. 

Second  : — We  have  the  testimony  of  the  Son  of  God, — 
1st,  when  he  uttered  the  solemn  appeal  to  his  Father, — "I 
have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  2d, 
when  in  the  victory  of  his  dying  hour,  he  cried  out, — 
"  It  is  finished  !"  3d, — when  in  the  presence  of  his 
church,  he  ascended  from  Mount  Olivet  through  these  visi- 
ble heavens,  into  "  the  holy  of  holies,  not  made  with  hands," 
— there  to  make  continual  intercession  for  us. 

Third  : — We  have  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
1st, — when  he  came  down  at  Pentecost,  in  the  pleni- 
tude of  his  miraculous  gifts,  and  cures.  2d, — in  con- 
tinuing these  in  the  church  during  a  long  period,  until 
Christianity  was  fully  established  in  the  world  ;  and  the 
evidence  of  the  holy  Scriptures  entirely  completed.  3d, 
— in  his  continuous,  and  uninterrupted  application  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  to  sinners  ;  in  his  convincing,  converting, 
renewing,  and  sanctifying  his  people  from  all  siii  ;  and  in 
guiding  them  to  eternal  glory. 

Had  the  atonement  of  Christ  not  been  perfect,  and  not 
accepted,  no  one  of  all  these  munificent  displays  of  God's 
love,  and  rich  grace  had  ever  taken  place.  Had  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ  not  been  complete,  and  accepted,  there  would 
have  been  no  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God;  no  Sabbath  day; 
no  house  of  worship  ;  no  solemn  prayer,  and  praise  ;  no 
ministry  ;  no  baptism  ;  no  Holy  Supper  of  the  Lord  ;  no 
conversions  ;  no  salvation  ;  no  triumphant  death ;  no 
christian  hope  ;  no  peace  ;  no  heaven ;  no  immortal  glory 
for  men  !  With  the  extinction  of  the  atonement  would  have 
been  quenched  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  in  our  firmament ; 
and  with  that  had  perished  the  last  ray  of  hope,  and  immor- 
tality to  man.  Death  would  have  been  a  horrid  introduc- 
tion to  everlasting  woe.     And  Satan  and  his  angels  would 


228  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

have  revelled,  with  infernal  and  horrid  malignity,  over  the 
entire,  and  eternal  ruin  of  the  human  species  ! 

Such  is  the  atonement  of  Christ.  It  met  and  honoured 
every  legitimate  claim  against  us. 

We  have  not  noticed,  here,  his  delivering  us  from 
the  usurped  power  of  Satan,  the  world,  and  sin  ;  and  from 
the  fears,  and  the  power  of  death.  This  he  effectually  does 
in  the  work  of  our  sanctification,  and  by  the  blessed  resur- 
rection from  the  dead.    These  will  be  noticed  in  their  place. 

aUESTIONS. 

Did  Christ  fulfil  all  the  relations,  and  predictions  record- 
ed of  him  ? 

Was  he  the  Son  of  Man  ?     Give  the  proofs  ? 

Was  he  the  Son  of  God  ?     Give  the  proofs  1 

As  our  substitute,  what  did  he  first  of  all  ?     Explain  this. 

What  did  he  next,  as  our  substitute  1     Explain  this. 

What  did  he  next  1     Explain,  and  illustrate  this. 

Was  his  obedience  accepted  of  God  ?     Proof? 

What  did  he  next,  as  our  substitute  ?     Explain  this. 

Did  Christ  undertake  to  present  us  a  holy  people  to  God? 
Give  us  the  proof,  and  illustration  of  this. 

Did  Christ  give  full  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  ?  Enu- 
merate the  most  prominent  testimony  to  this. 

Did  he  give  a  real,  and  proper  sacrifice?  Was  it  real? 
Proof?     Was  it  a.  proper  sacrifice  ?     Proof? 

Was  this  strictly  a  vicarious  atonement  ?  Proofs  of 
this  ? 

Was  there  a  real  exchange  of  persons, — Christ  for  us  ? 

Was  there,  then,  in  consequence,  a  real  transfer  of  our 
guilt  to  him  ?     Proofs  of  this  important  Gospel  truth  ? 

WhsLt  is  the  first  proof  of  the  vicarious  atonement  ? 

The  second  proof? 

The  third  proof?     Rehearse  these  testimonies. 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  229 

Did  Christ  owe  any  debt  of  obedience,  and  of  punish- 
ment for  himself?     Yom*  proof  of  this  1 

Can  those  extraordinary  events  in  the  life,  sufferings, 
and  death  of  Christ,  be  accounted  for  rationally,  on  any 
other  principle  than  that  of  a  vicarious  atonement  ? 

Rehearse  the  names  of  Christ's  finished  work.  The  first 
name?  Why?  The  second?  Why?  The  third?  W^hy? 
The  fourth?  Why?  The  fifth  n^Lxnel  Why?  The 
sixth  ?  Why  ?  The  seventh  name  ?  Why  ?  The  eighth  ? 
Why  ?     The  last  name  ?     Why  ? 

Are  there  great  consolations  to  distressed  sinners  in 
this  ?     Name  the  first  ?     The  second  ?     The  third  ? 

What  would  have  been  the  consequence,  had  the  atone- 
ment of  our  Redeemer  not  been  given, — or,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  had  it  not  been  infinitely  perfect  by  the  testi- 
mony of  God  ?     Explain  this  ? 

Express  frankly  your  views,  your  feelings,  your  faith  on 
this  all-important  doctrine. 

MEDITATION. 

"  Harps  of  eternity !  begin  the  song. 

Redeemed,  and  angel  harps  !     Begin  to  God  ; 

Begin  the  anthem  ever  sweet,  and  new ; 

While  I  extol  him,  holy,  just,  and  good. 

Harp  !  lift  thy  voice  on  high.     Shout,  angels,  shout ! 

And  loudest,  ye  redeemed  !  glory  to  God  ; 

And  to  the  Lamb,  all  glory  and  all  praise, 

Glory  to  God,  and  to  the  Lamb  !     Amen  ! 

For  ever,  and  for  evermore.    Amen !" 

POLLOK. 

How  august  the  majesty,  purity,  and  holiness  of  the  go- 
vernment of  Almighty  God  !  It  is  never  turned  out  of  its  way 
by  the  rebellion  of  any  created  beings.  The  wheels  of  his 
government  move  straight  forward.  There  is  nothing  weak, — 
nothing  crooked, — nothing  defective  in  the  government  of 
the  Most  High.  Righteous  art  thou,  0  my  God,  in  all 
20* 


230  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

thy  ways.  No  treason  can  flourish  in  thy  vast  empire.  No 
guilt  can  escape  the  visitations  of  thy  justice.  No  iniquity 
can  elude  thy  holiness.  They  who  broke  peace  in  heaven, 
are  cast  out,  and  are  doomed  to  everlasting  punishment. 
Hence,  I  learn  to  fear  thy  terrible  majesty.  I  tremble  be- 
fore thee  ;  and  cast  myself  in  the  dust  at  thy  feet.  I  am 
overwhelmed  with  the  guilt  of  my  father's  family.  I  am 
crushed  under  my  guilt  of  original  sin.  Every  sin  deserves 
the  wrath  and  curse  of  infinite  purity.     0  God  !  I  feel  it. 

0  God  !  I  confess  it !  I  lie  down  in  my  shame  :  my  con- 
fusion covers  me.     There  is  no  help  in  man  ! 

In  the  hour  of  darkness,  and  overwhelming  despair,  I 
saw  a  door  of  hope  opened  to  me  in  the  valley  of  trouble. 

1  saw  thy  hand  open  it,  0  my  God  !  I  felt  thy  mercy,  and 
adored  thee.  I  wept  with  joy.  I  saw  thee,  0  most  Mighty 
One.  I  saw  thee  hastening  to  my  deliverance.  My  guilt 
— my  vileness  rose  like  a  mountain  to  crush  me.  I  saw 
thy  Eternal  Son  presenting  himself  for  me.  Oh  !  can  such 
a  one  stand  up  for  me  1  Can  such  a  one  stand  between 
the  living,  and  the  dead  ?  Can  he  be  willing  to  stay  the 
plague?  None  but  a  sinless  one  can  do  it.  Lo !  I  have 
seen  him.  I  have  loved,  and  adored  him.  O,  thou  sinless 
Lamb  of  God !  Thou  art  the  glorious  substitute  who 
bringest  with  thee  a  pure  and  spotless  nature.  Thou  art  all 
I  want.  My  substitute !  My  Saviour !  Thou  hast  pre- 
sented a  perfect  human  nature  for  me.  Thou  didst  offer 
body  for  body,  and  soul  for  soul.  It  was  presented  ;  and 
fully  accepted. 

But,  in  the  bitter  sorrows  of  my  overpowering  guilt,  I 
cried  out, — "  Is  he  able  ?  Can  he  lay  his  hand  on  both  par- 
ties? Can  he  mediate  peace  between  God  the  Father,  and 
miserable  guilty  sinners?"  Yes,  my  Redeemer,  thou  art 
the  Son  of  God,  as  well  as  the  son  of  man.  Thou  art  the 
supreme  lord  of  thy  own  life  as  the  son  of  man.  Thou 
hadst  power  to  lay  down  thy  life,  and  thou  hadst  power  to 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  231 

take  it  up  again.  And  thou  didst  lay  down  thy  life  for  us : 
and  thou  didst  take  it  up  again  by  thy  own  divine  power. 
I  love  thee,  my  Redeemer !  I  adore  thee  with  all  my  soul. 
— And  didst  thou,  O  my  Redeemer!  also  give  a  pledge  to 
thy  Father,  and  thy  ransomed  ones,  that  each  of  us  should 
infallibly  receive  from  thy  bleeding  love,  a  new  and  holy 
nature  too  ! — That  suretyship  thy  Father  did  accept.  In 
following  it  out,  thou  didst  meet,  and  honour  every  claim  of 
justice,  and  of  law,  by  a  sinless  obedience,  and  by  sufferings 
even  to  the  death, — the  dreadful,  and  accursed  death  of  the 
cross.  Justice  uttered  its  acceptance.  "  It  is  finished  !" 
Thou  didst  thereby,  reconcile  all  things  in  heaven,  and  in 
earth.  Our  just  Judge  is  our  best  friend.  Angels  now  love 
us,  and  mingle  with  us  in  affectionate  services.  The  stern- 
est attributes  of  the  Almighty  One,  who  demanded  venge- 
ance, are  now  pacified,  and  are  our  protectors,  and  now  de- 
mand the  crown  for  us.  0  love,  divine  and  boundless !  O 
what  severity  !  What  goodness,  and  mercy  beyond  all  con- 
ception !  What  grandeur  of  divine  majesty  I  What  puri- 
ty !  What  an  intensity  of  glory  thrown  around  thy  ever- 
lasting throne  !  0  my  divine  and  adored  Redeemer !  thou 
hast  conquered  all  our  enemies.  Thou  hast  secured  to  us 
the  consummation  of  all  blessings.  Thy  triumph  is  com- 
plete, 0  glorious  Redeemer  !  And  our  victory  is  complete 
in  Thee  ! 


O  unexampled  love! 


Love  nowhere  to  be  found  less  than  divine ! 
Hail,  Son  of  God  !     Saviour  of  men  !     Thy  name 
Shall  be  the  copious  matter  of  my  song 
Henceforth :  and  never  shall  my  harp  thy  praise 
Forget ;  nor  from  thy  Father's  praise  disjoin  !" 

Milton. 

.  Accept  the  adoration  of  my  whole  heart,  and  soul,  0  my 
supreme  and  exalted  Redeemer.     Accept  the  homage  of  my 


232  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

lips,  and  all  their  humble  offerings.  Accept  the  poor  ho- 
mage of  my  life.  Thou  knowest,  0  my  blessed  Redeemer, 
that  I  love  thee.  I  am  thine  wholly  ;  and  in  life  and 
in  death,  1  long  to  be  for  ever  thine.  Blessed  be  the 
Lord  my  God,  that  ever  I  was  born  !  I  shall  for  ever  be 
with  thee,  Dear  Redeemer.  In  the  mansions  of  the  ran- 
somed, I  shall  see  thee  as  thou  art — face  to  face — 0  thou 
beloved,  and  adored  object  of  the  devotion  of  my  soul.  I 
shall  love  thee  as  I  ought,  in  that  bright  and  sinless  world, 
— ever  beholding  thee, — ever  hearing  thee, — ever  drinking 
in  rapturous  love  from  thy  presence,  for  ever  !  Blessed  be 
thy  name  that  I  ever  heard  of  thee  ! — Blessed  be  thy  name 
that  ever  I  was  born  again,  and  made  a  new  creature !  Bless- 
ings ever  be  to  thee,  0  my  God, — Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever  : — "  Our  Father  who  art  in  hea- 
ven," &c.     Amen. 

PRAYER. 

0  my  God !  What  shall  I  render  to  thee  for  all  thy  mer- 
cies ?  To  thy  gracious  interposition  I  owe  it,  my  compas- 
sionate Redeemer !  that  I  am  not  with  the  doomed  spirits  in 
prison.  0  Lord  my  God  !  thou  hast  healed  me.  Thou  hast 
brought  up  my  soul  from  the  lowest  hell.  When  there  was 
no  hand  to  help  me,  and  no  eye  to  pity,  thou  didst  stand  up 
for  us,  in  the  convention  of  peace.  0  sovereign  love,  sur- 
passing all  thought !  Thou,  O  God,  didst  pass  by  the  rebel- 
lious angels.  Thou  didst  leave  them  to  all  the  fearful  con- 
sequences of  their  sin.  But,  to  our  fallen  race,  thou  hast 
shown  all  this  mercy.  Thy  beloved  Son,  my  dear  Redeem- 
er, assumed  our  place  before  the  fiery  throne  of  justice.  He 
presented  himself  as  our  substitute.  He  brought  with  him 
the  altar,  and  the  victim,  in  the  same  most  holy  and  divine 
person.  Blessed  for  ever  and  ever,  be  his  name.  He  of- 
fered a  perfect  and  spotless  humanity  for  us.     This  the  law 


OUR    ONLY    SURETY.  233 

required  us  to  do.  Lo !  0  Lord,  here  is  thy  matchless 
wisdom, — ^here  thy  boundless  mercy  is  displayed.  In  this 
pure  nature,  he  glorified  the  law,  and  magnified  it  before  all 
intelligent  beings,  by  his  most  holy  obedience.  He  stood 
up  amid  the  lightning  and  devouring  fires  of  divine  justice. 
The  sacrifice  was  offered  on  the  altar  of  his  divine  nature. 
Blessed  be  thy  name,  0  Lord,  my  God,  for  this  complete 
atonement,  given  by  our  divine  substitute.  This,  0  Lord, 
is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  my  desire.  The  terms  of  the  new 
covenant  are  fully  satisfied,  and  made  good.  And  all  the 
precious  blessings  of  thy  love  are  confirmed  to  us.  I  adore 
thy  justice,  0  my  God,  which  my  faithful  Redeemer  has 
crowned  with  glory.  I  love  thy  law  on  which  he  has  lavish- 
ed such  divine  honours.  I  rejoice  in  thy  divine  govern- 
ment, which  our  righteous  Redeemer  has  made  exceedingly 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  all  holy  beings.  I  rejoice  in  God 
my  Saviour.  I  am  transported  with  delight  at  the  thought 
of  being  made  holy  as  thou  art  holy.  Thy  faithfulness  takes 
away  all  the  pollution  of  our  sin,  as  well  as  all  our  guilt. 
I  rejoice  in  the  order,  the  beauty,  and  power  of  thy  govern- 
ment, 0  divine  Majesty  !  I  exult  in  the  hope  of  seeing  it 
in  all  its  glory,  and  unfading  honours  ;  when  thou,  my  Al- 
mighty Redeemer,  shalt  have  put  down  all  evil,  and  con- 
quered in  thy  final  triumphs,  the  last  of  our  enemies  ;  when 
sin,  and  the  world,  and  Satan,  and  death  shall  cease,  for 
ever,  to  have  power, — and  shall  never  more  interrupt  the 
lovely  order,  peace,  and  glory  of  thy  reign  !  I  rejoice  that 
I  shall  ever  be  under  its  blessed  sway,  in  the  perfection  of 
soul,  and  body.  My  heart  leaps  with  joy  within  me,  at  the 
prospect  of  being  ever  with  my  reigning  Saviour.  Perfect 
then,  O  Lord,  thy  work  of  grace  in  me.  I  long  to  have 
the  full  evidence  that  I  am  righteous.  And  thou,  my  bless- 
ed Redeemer,  art  all  my  righteousness.  I  long  to  be  holy 
as  thou  art  holy.  By  thy  blood,  and  Spirit,  0  my  exalted 
Redeemer,  I  obtain  the  cleansing  of  sanctification.     I  long 


234  JESUS    CHRIST    OUR    ONLY    SURETY. 

to  be  strong,  and  complete  for  thy  service.  Thou,  0  mer- 
ciful and  interceding  High  Priest,  art  all  my  strength.  I 
am  complete  only  in  thee.  Thou  are  my  all  in  all.  0  for 
higher  and  holier  views  of  thee,  my  God.  0  for  more  pu- 
rity of  heart :  for  more  meekness,  and  heavenly  minded- 
ness.  O  when  shall  I  be  made  like  thee,  my  dear  and 
blessed  Saviour !  When  shall  I  have  strength  to  subdue 
every  remaining  sin !  When  shall  I  reach  the  measure  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ !  I  hate  rebellion,  and  every  false,  and 
wicked  way.  I  deplore  the  guilt  of  my  sin.  I  abhor  its 
pollution,  which  keeps  me  far  from  thee,  and  far  from  the 
purity  of  thy  image,  O  my  loving  Redeemer !  When  shall 
I  be  perfectly  clean  ?  When  shall  I  come  up  to  thee,  0  my 
God,  in  the  beauties  of  holiness  1  When  shall  I  be  satisfied 
with  thy  likeness  ?  When  shall  I  awake  to  see  thee  ? — The 
entrance  of  my  divine  substitute,  in  the  hour  of  his  exalta- 
tion, into  the  heaven  of  heavens,  is  the  sure  guarantee  that 
I  shall  also  enter  there,  and  be  with  him  in  my  perfected 
nature,  by  the  gracious  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  There, 
O  my  blessed  God  !  in  the  bright  world  where  the  ransomed 
are,  I  shall  render  thee,  the  full  tribute  of  glory,  and  honour, 
without  weakness,  without  languor,  without  interruption,  for 
ever !  Glory  to  Him  who  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood  !  Glory  be  tothe  Father,  and  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  in  all  eternity :  ^'  Our  Father  who  art  in 
heaven,"  &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


OF    REGENERATION. 

"  Verily,  verfly,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water, 
and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  That 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  is  flesh:  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit, 
is  spirit."  Jesus  Christ. 

The  next  subject  of  inquiry  would  be,  How  are  we  made 
partakers  of  this  righteousness  ?  How  are  we  justified  be- 
fore God  ? 

But  there  is  an  important  inquiry  which  naturally  pre- 
cedes this.  Before  we  can  be  justified,  we  must  have  the 
gift  of  faith.  This  leads  us  to  speak  of  the  work  of  Rege- 
neration. I  need  not  here  repeat  what  has  been  said  of  the 
condition  of  every  soul  of  Adam's  family.  It  is  summed 
up  in  this  : — "  They  are  dead  in  sins,  and  trespasses."  And 
I  need  not  stop  to  show  that  man  must  be  made  alive,  and 
thence  a  new  creature,  before  he  can  enter  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Our  Lord  has  settled  this  point.  He  has  declared 
it  to  be  the  fundamental  law  of  his  kingdom,  that,  unless 
he  be  born  again,  he  never  can  enter  heaven. 

This  is  founded  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  and  con- 
firmed by  universal  experience.  Unless  we  have  the  new 
heart,  and  the  sanctified  soul,  we  can  no  more  enter  heaven 


236  OF    REGEINERATION. 

nor  mingle  with  the  holy  inhabitants  there,  nor  enjoy  the 
beatific  vision  of  God,  than  a  creature,  formed  to  live  on 
the  dry  land,  can  live  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean  ! 

We  are  regenerated,  and  made  new  creatures,  by  God 
alone.  We  lay  down  this  primitive  principle, — All  life 
IS  OF  God  Almighty.  "  Of  God  are  all  things."  No 
creature  can  create.  No  fallen  child  of  Adam  can  renew 
his  own  heart.  I  recur  to  the  elemental  principle, — "  All 
life  is  of  God."  Can  any  man  impart,  by  human  power, 
any  kind  of  life  1  Let  him  make  the  experiment.  I  hold 
up  before  you  this  flower  :  it  is  dead  :  it  has  been  cut  off 
from  its  parent  stock  :  and  has  lain  withering  in  the  dust. 
Who  can  impart  life  to  it  ?  Let  man  exert  all  his  ingenuity 
and  powers  :  and  put  forth  all  the  efforts  of  the  philosopher. 
Who  can  impart  life  to  that  dead  flower?  Every  mouth  is 
shut :  no  created  being  can  do  it.  None  put  in  their  plea 
of  power  to  do  it.  Thou,  alone,  0  Almighty  God!  canst 
do  it. 

I  direct  your  attention  to  that  lamb  lying  dead  before 
you  :  all  its  natural  members  are  there  :  life  alone  is  awant- 
ing.  Who  can  restore  life  to  this  animal  1  Let  all  the 
combined  power,  and  arts  of  man  be  put  forth  in  the  ex- 
periment. Can  they  do  it  1  No.  Thou,  alone,  0  Al- 
mighty God  !  canst  give  life  to  that  dead  lamb. 

Here  is  an  infant  laid  out  in  its  shroud,  and  coffin. 
Every  member  is  there.  Life  alone  is  wanting.  Who  can 
restore  life,  and  bring  back  the  soul  to  that  child  1  Let 
man  exert  all  his  powers,  and  art ;  can  he  raise  it  from  the 
dead  ?  No,  no.  Thou,  alone,  0  Almighty  God !  canst 
give  life  to  that  human  being. 

Now,  is  vegetable  life  more  precious  than  spiritual  life 
in  man's  soul  ]  There  is  no  comparison.  It  is  impossible 
that  man  can  give  life  to  the  dead  flower  ;  and  shall  he  pre- 
tend to  give  life  to  an  immortal  soul,  dead  in  its  sins? 

Is  animal  life  more  valuable  than  spiritual  life  1     There 


OF    REGENERATION.  237 

is  no  comparison.  Is  it  impossible  that  man's  exertions 
can  give  life  to  the  dead  lamb, — and  can  he  then  set  forth 
pretensions  to  create  spiritual  life  in  his  own  soul  ? 

Is  human  life  more  valuable  than  spiritual  life  ?  There 
is  no  comparison.  Is  it  impossible  that  man  can  restore 
life  to  the  dead  infant, — and  can  he  then  sustain  his  preten- 
sions to  restore  spiritual  life  to  his  own  soul,  or  the  souls  of 
others  1 

Reason  and  universal  experience,  therefore,  declare  that 
no  man  can  originate  spiritual  life. 

The  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  is  full  and  deci- 
sive on  this  point.  The  dry  bones  remained  dead  and  mo- 
tionless, until  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  sent  life  and  power  of 
motion  into  them.  He  alone  makes  us  alive.  He  alone 
creates  us  anew.  He  alone  awakes  us  from  the  dead.  He 
alone  infuses  a  principle  of  life  into  the  whole  mind  and 
heart.  This  being  received  by  us,  we  discern  spiritually  ; 
we  reason  ;  we  judge ;  we  desire ;  we  hope  ;  we  act  as 
new  creatures,  possessed  of  a  new  life  ;  even  the  life  of  God 
in  the  soul. 

I  am  not  competent  to  conceive  what  this  new  spiritual 
life  is.  Neither  can  I  conceive  what  this  life  is,  which  per- 
vades my  body,  and  moves,  and  animates  my  whole  limbs. 
I  see  its  movements ;  I  feel  it ;  I  live  ;  I  act.  This  is  enough 
to  confirm  the  fact  of  my  animal  life.  So,  I  feel  a  new 
life  in  my  soul.  I  act  as  a  new  creature.  I  reason  ;  I 
judge ;  I  desire  ;  I  hope  ;  I  believe  ;  I  repent ;  I  return  to 
my  God.  This  is  enough  to  confirm  the  existence  of  the 
spiritual  life  in  me.  And  the  word  of  God  speaks  of  it  as 
a  thing  as  certain,  and  manifest  in  the  spiritual  world,  as 
animal  life  in  the  material  world.  It  has  been  known  to  be 
vigorous  in  the  mind  when  reason,  memory,  and  judgment 
were  apparently  extinguished.* 

♦An  extremely  aged  servaiit  of  God  had  sunk  into  such  a  mental  im- 
21 


238  OF    REGENERATION. 

This  new  life  God  conveys  to  the  soul,  by  his  own  ap- 
pointed means.  These  are  his  word  of  truth :  his  pro- 
mises, his  ordinances.  "We  are  born  again,  not  of  corrupt- 
ible seed ;  but  of  incorruptible,  even  the  word  of  God, 
which  by  the  gospel  is  preached  unto  us."  1  Peter  i.  23, 
25.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  divine  author  of  this  life.  His 
gospel  is  the  instrument  of  life,  in  his  omnipotent  hand. 
He  speaks  by  the  gospel,  and  it  is  done. 

The  result  of  this  life,  is  a  willingness  to  do  God's  will  ; 
and  a  power,  and  capacity  to  do  what  he  enjoins  on  us. 
There  is  no  controversy  as  to  the  fact  of  man's  having  a 
will,  and  a  capacity,  and  power  to  obey  God.  This  no  man 
denies.  The  difficulty  has  been  in  deciding  where  that  will, 
and  power,  and  capacity  do  lie.  We  dissent  from  those 
who  lodge  it  in  the  mind,  and  will  of  the  sinner,  who  is 
"  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins."  We  have  the  power  to 
will,  and  to  do.  But,  it  is  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit's  renovation. 
We  are  made  alive  ;  and  we  exercise  a  will  to  follow  him  : 
we  are  made  alive  ;  and  we  cheeriully  yield  him  a  cordial 
obedience.  God  has  declared  this.  "  He  worketh  in  us 
both  to  will,  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

Thus,  as  in  the  case  of  natural  life,  so  in  the  case  of  spi- 
ritual ;  God  gives  us  life,  and  carries  forth  this  life  into 
action.     Even  so,  we  receive  our  spiritual  life  from  God's 

becility,  that  he  could  remember  nothing.  Even  the  early  scenes  of 
youth  had  been  effaced  from  his  mind.  He  did  not  know  his  own 
children.  Hi.«?  favourite  little  grandchild  was  not  even  recognized  by 
him.  "  I  do  not  know  you;  I  never,  to  my  recollection,  saw  you  be- 
fore,"— said  he.  Even  his  wife  seemed  a  stranger  to  him.  He  de- 
clared that  he  did  not  remember  to  have  seen  her.  One  of  the  friends 
near  his  bed  then  said  lo  him, — "Do  you  know  who  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  1"  He  instantly  rallied,  and  replied, — "Oh!  yes;  1  know 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  has  been  my  very  dear  Saviour  these  fifty 
years  !"  Spiritual  life  is  a  positive  reality  in  the  very  essence  of  the 
soul,  as  much  as  any  other  inseparable  and  known  quality,  or  attri- 
bute thereof. 


OF    REGENERATION.  239 

free  grace  :  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit  we  carry  forth  the  will, 
and  the  power  to  act,  in  all  the  obedience  of  the  new  life. 

Now,  among  the  prominent  graces  which  flow  forth  in 
tlie  active  energies  of  the  spiritual  life,  as  the  result  of  this 
regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost, — we  distinctly  recognize 
knowledge  to  discern  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  faith  to  receive  his 
whole  testimony,  and,  by  a  special  appropriating  act,  to  ac- 
cept of  Christ  as  our  only  Saviour  ;  and  repentance  for  all 
sins,  of  all  kinds,  issuing  in  a  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  an  ab- 
horrence of  it  in  all  its  forms,  a  meek  and  godly  confes- 
sion ;  and  a  universal  reformation,  and  a  pious  life. 

aUESTIONS. 

Having  found  the  Saviour,  and  the  atonement,  what  is 
the  next  subject  of  inquiry? 

Can  we  possess  an  interest  in  our  Lord's  righteousness 
wn'thout  faith  ? 

Can  faith  exist  in  the  unregeneraie  mind  1     Proof? 

Is  regeneration  essential  to  our  salvation  ?  Explain  this 
necessity. 

By  whom  are  we  regenerated  ? — By  ourselves, — or  by 
God? 

State  the  grand  principle  on  which  rests  the  proof  that 
regeneration  is  by  the  power,  and  grace  of  God. 

Li  regeneration  is  there  not  a  spiritual  life  really  com- 
municated to  the  soul  ? 

Can  any  creature  originate  life  ?  Proof  from  facts  and 
observation.     The  dead  flower? 

The  proof  and  illustration  from  the  dead  lamb  ?  The 
dead  infant  ? 

Sum  up  the  argument  from  these  facts,  and  observations. 

What  is  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  on  this  ? 

Should  we  repudiate  this  doctrine  because  there  is  a  mys- 
tery in  the  principle  of  life,  and  its  origin  ? 


240  OF    RKGENERATION. 

Is  not  this  new  and  spiritual  life  conveyed  to  us  by  the 
use  of  means  '(     Proof  of  this  ? 

What  is  the  fruit,  or  result  of  this  new  life  1  Explain 
this.  Is  there  a  power  and  a  capacity,  and  a  disposition 
conveyed  to  the  soul  thereby  ?     Explain  this  ? 

Can  you  prove  that  God  alone  is  the  author  of  this  new 
life? 

What  is  the  first  moving  principle  in  the  new-born  soul? 

What  is  the  next  ?     The  next  ? 
'    Can  you,  after  a  close  examination  of  yourself,  venture 
to  say  that  you  are  renewed  in  your  mind  by  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit ? 

MEDITATION. 

"  Eternal  Spirit  !  we  confess, 
And  sing  the  wonders  of  thy  grace; 
Thy  power  conveys  thy  blessings  down 
From  God  the  Father,  and  the  Son. 
Enlightened  by  thy  heavenly  ray, 
Our  shades,  and  darkness  turn  to  day  ; 
We  learn  the  meaning  of  thy  word, 
And  find  salvation  in  the  Lord !" 

Had  the  Holy  Spirit  not  visited  me  in  my  state  of  spiri- 
tual death,  I  never  had  sought  thee,  0  Lord.  Had  he  not 
quickened  me,  I  never  should  have  lived,  nor  moved  to- 
ward him.  Can  the  blind  open  their  own  eyes  ?  Can  the 
dead  light  up  the  darkness  of  the  tomb  ?  Can  the  dead  re- 
store their  bodies  to  their  departed  souls  ?  No,  never.  My 
own  natural  life  I  cannot  create.  How  can  I,  then,  create 
the  nobler  and  higher  life  of  God  in  the  soul  ?  Thou,  0 
Jehovah,  art,  alone,  the  fountain  of  life,  in  all  its  varied 
forms.  A  sinner  regenerate  himself!  A  sinner,  "dead  in 
sins  and  trespasses,"  create  a  new  heart  within  himself! 
Impossible  !  God  gives  not  his  glory  to  another,  nor  his 
praise  to  created  beings.     He  never  transferred  to  the  crea- 


OF    REGENERATION.  241 

ture  the  power  of  creating  !  And  is  it  even  conceivable 
that  God  shoidd  make  the  doing  of  an  impossibility,  on  our 
part,  the  condition  of  our  receiving  his  free  and  sovereign 
grace?  No  ;  we  are  under  the  dispensation  of  grace.  We 
are  not  under  the  covenant  of  works.  We  are  not  thrown 
helpless  upon  our  own  beggared  resources.  And  God's 
creating  power  he  retains  in  his  own  hand.  The  puny  arm 
of  man  can  never  wield  it.  And  that  grace,  which  he 
freely  bestows,  can  never  be  bought.  1  thank  God,  that 
none  of  all  his  gifts  are  ever  sold.  God  sells  nothing. 
He  gives  freely ! 

But,  it  is  our  part  to  use  every  means  of  God's  wisdom, 
to  obtain  the  proffered  grace.  I  feel  as  if  I  were  an  impo- 
tent man  lying  at  the  pool.  I  am  utterly  impotent.  I 
will  wait  in  patience,  and  in  active  perseverance  at  the  ap- 
pointed place.  I  shall  be  active  in  the  use  of  all  God's  ac- 
credited means  of  grace.  I  am  passive  in  receiving  of  the 
Almighty  Creator,  the  new  principle  of  spiritual  life.  My 
Redeemer  will  pass  by.  The  only  Lord  of  life  will  send 
life  into  my  "  dead"  soul.  I  can  only  cast  an  imploring 
eye  upon  him.  I  can  only  throw  myself  in  the  dust,  and 
cry,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner !"  I  am  utterly 
impotent.  I  am  as  passive  in  regeneration  as  was  Adam 
in  the  hour  of  his  creation,  or  as  was  the  impotent  man,  or  as 
was  the  man  with  the  withered  hand.  The  means  of  grace  are 
in  my  possession.  I  hear  the  voice,  and  word  of  Christ, — 
even  of  the  same  divine  One,  who  caused  his  voice  to  fall 
on  the  ears  of  the  impotent  man,  and  the  man  with  the  wi- 
thered hand.  Oh  !  may  the  same  invincible  power  which 
accompanied  his  voice  and  word,  and  healed  them  ;  accom- 
pany his  word  and  means,  and  heal  me !  I  shall  be  as  per- 
severing in  waiting  at  the  wells  of  salvation  ;  and  as  active 
in  the  use  of  all  the  means,  with  what  powers  I  have,  as  if 
I  were,  thereby,  to  merit  my  salvation.  While  my  entire 
reliance  for  the  final  success,  and   triumph,  shall   be   aolely 

21* 


242  OF    REGENERATION. 

Upon  God's  free  grace-  And  while  I  am  entirely  passive 
in  regeneration, — that  is,  in  my  new  creation  ;  I  shall  be  as 
ACTIVE  in  conversion, — that  is,  in  my  turning  to  my  God 
from  all  my  errors  ; — and  as  active  in  "making  to  my- 
self the  new  heart," — that  is,  in  carrying  out  into  active 
service  aJl  the  graces,  and  thence,  by  the  proper  evidence, 
making  the  possession  of  it,  sure  to  myself, — as  the  man  is 
both  willing  and  able  to  do  it,  who  has  actually  received  of 
God  the  new  heart,  and  all  the  necessary  powers  and  capa- 
cities to  do  so,  by  Christ's  invincible  grace,  and  love.  My 
God  calls  on  me  "  to  awake  from  the  dead,  and  come  out 
of  my  grave."  I  obey  him  precisely  as  Lazarus  did.  The 
only  difference  is, — in  my  case  it  is  spiritual  life  :  in  his 
case,  it  is  natural  life.  His  call  quickens  me  into  life.  I 
stretch  forth  "  the  withered  hand"  of  faith,  just  as  the  man 
with  that  physical  frailty  did, — even  by  the  effectual  work- 
ing of  the  divine  power  of  grace,  accompanying  my  Re- 
deemer's command.  I  believe, — I  repent, — ^I  "  make  to  my- 
self a  new  heart,"  just  as  man  does  walk,  and  act,  and  live  in 
his  physical  powers.  It  is  all  effected  by  the  agency  of  his 
divine  power,  and  grace.  Having  received  life  and  motion 
from  God,  I  walk,  and  speak,  and  act.  Even  so,  having 
received  spiritual  life,  by  God's  grace,  I  do,  by  the  same 
grace,  work  out  the  living  evidences  of  that  life,  by  every 
active  service.  I  "  make  to  myself  the  new  heart,"  just  as 
"  I  make  my  calling  and  election  sure," — that  is,  to  my- 
self. And  this  is  done  just  by  exercising  the  various  ac- 
tive graces  of  that  life,  and  thence  carrying  them  forward 
into  public  life  ;  and  thus  completing  the  demonstration  that 
I  am  renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

And  now,  0  my  soul !  I  charge  thee  to  bow  lowly  in  the 
dust  before  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  give  the  glory,  and  honour 
to  him,  to  whom  alone  it  is  due.  To  his  invincible  grace 
am  I  indebted  for  the  new  heart,  and  all  its  graces.  What 
is  man,  that  he  should  dare  usurp  the  throne,  and   seize  his 


OF    REGENERATION.  243 

sceptre  ?  Whither  will  the  folly  of  man  lead  him  ?  He 
dares  set  up  pretensions  to  do  what  is  peculiarly,  and  ex- 
clusively the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  Be  thou  humble, 
O  my  soul  !  And  stand  in  awe  of  the  awful  majesty  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ! 

ANOTHER  MEDITATION. 

"  What  image  does  my  spirit  bear  1 
Is  Jesus  formed,  and  living  therel 
Say,  do  his  lineaments  divine, 
In  thought,  and  word,  and  action  shine  1 
Searcher  of  hearts  !  O,  search  me  still  ; 
The  secrets  of  my  soul  reveal ; 
My  fears  remove,  let  me  appear 
To  Godj  and  to  my  own  conscience  clear!" 

And  now,  0  my  soul,  in  view  of  all  this,  what  art  thou 
doing  ?  What  is  thy  real  condition  ?  Art  thou  alive  from 
the  dead  ?  Have  I  the  divine  light  and  truth  in  my  soul  1 
Have  I  the  saving  knowledge  of  my  God  ?  Have  I  a  live- 
ly faith  carrying  me  out  to  my  Redeemer  ?  Have  I  the 
spiritual  life  in  my  soul,  daily  quickened  by  him,  into  active 
service,  and  holy  enjoyment  1  Am  I  dead  to  the  world, 
with  its  affections  and  lusts  ?  Do  I  live  to  my  God  with 
all  my  heart,  soul,  mind,  and  strength  ?  Have  I  the  true 
disposition  to  love  and  serve  him  ?  Have  I  the  spiritual 
power,  and  capacity  to  yield  myself  unreservedly  in  new 
obedience  to  him  ?  Am  I  daily  crucifying  the  flesh,  with 
the  affections  and  lusts  ?  Do  I  live  more  and  more  to  my 
God?  Is  my  penitence  sincere?  Does  this  heart,  like 
the  rock  smitten  by  the  rod  of  God,  send  forth  the  waters 
of  unaffected  sorrow?  Is  my  love  to  God,  and  the  brethren, 
and  all  men,  the  genuine  love  of  God's  elect?  Do  humi- 
lity, repentance,  faith,  and  holiness  flow  out  from  a  living 
principle  of  grace  in  me  ?  Is  my  heart, — and  my  whole 
life  devoted  to  my  God  ?     Do  I  long  to  be  more  and  more 


244  OF    REGENERATION. 

like  unto  him  ?     Do  I  exult  in  the  hope  that  I  shall  be  with 
him  for  ever  and  ever  ? 

I  trust  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  he  will  shed  light  more 
and  more  into  my  soul  ;  that  he  will  strengthen  me  with 
all  might  in  the  inner  man.  Then  shall  I  work  out  the 
evidence  of  the  new  birth  ;  and  make  manifest  before  the 
Church,  the  active  existence  of  all  the  graces  of  the  new 
heart ;  and  thus  make  sure  to  myself,  before  God's  people, 
the  actions,  and  existence  of  the  new  heart  in  me.  And 
thus,  I  shall  cast  away  all  my  transgressions  ;  and  make  to 
myself  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit,  in  all  its  clear  and 
abiding  evidences, — as  God's  free  gift,  as  it  regards  the  ori- 
ginating cause,  and  of  my  "working  out "  as  it  regards  the 
evidence,  by  a  holy  life. 

A  PRAYER. 

Blessed  be  thy  name,  0  Father  of  lights,  and  divine  mer- 
cies, for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  the  illuminating  in- 
fluences of  thy  grace.  And  blessed  be  the  supreme  foun- 
tain of  all  life,  for  that  spiritual  life  bestowed  on  me,  of  thy 
free  love,  and  power.  Thou  hast  lifted  me  from  the  pit  of 
death.  Thou  hast  raised  me  to  the  honour,  and  glory  of 
being  able,  and  willing,  to  love  thee,  to  adore  thee,  and 
serve  thee.  And,  oh !  how  sovereign  the  love,  how  rich  the 
grace  !  I  had  fallen,  and  was  ruined  utterly,  and  lost.  No 
created  hand  could  raise  me  up.  No  eye  could  pity  me. 
No  voice  sent  a  cheering  hope.  Thou,  0  my  God, — for 
ever  blessed  be  thy  name, — thou  alone  didst  raise  me  up 
from  the  pit  of  death.  Thou  didst  renew  me  by  the  regene- 
ration of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  lost  power,  and  spiritual 
capacity  of  the  soul,  thou  hast  most  graciously  deigned  to 
restore  to  me.  O  God,  I  was  blind  :  thy  gracious  word 
and  power  opened  mine  eyes.  I  was  a  lost  sheep  :  thou 
didst  "  seek  me  out  from  all  the  places  into  which  I  had 
wandered  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day.'*     I  was  dead  in  my 


OF    REGENERATION.  245 

sinful  nature  :  thy  invincible  grace  raised  me  to  the  state  of 
life.  Thou  hast  repaired  all  the  disorders  of  the  fall.  Every 
faculty  of  my  soul,  I  trust,  has  felt,  and  owned  thy  healing 
power.  Thou  hast  sent  into  the  dead  soul,  the  divine  and 
inextinguishable  principle  of  life.  Adored  be  thy  divine 
love,  for  the  sweet  pleasure  I  have  of  knowing  thee,  my 
God.  Thy  grace  opened  these  blind  and  weeping  eyes. 
Adored  be  thy  mercy  for  the  pleasure  I  have  of  loving  thee. 
For  all  these  gifts,  and  graces  do  I  humbly  and  heartily 
thank  thee.  This  reason, — once  fallen  and  degraded,  but 
now  raised  to  its  proper  oince,  and  duty,  O  liord,  do  I  de- 
dicate to  thee.  This  judgment,  once  perverse,  and  utterly 
alienated  from  thee,  but  now  rectified,  I  trust,  by  thy  grace, 
I  dedicate,  0  Lord,  to  thee.  This  conscience,  this  memo- 
ry, this  heart,  these  desires,  these  passions, — once  depraved, 
and  reckless  in  their  rebellion,  but  now  sanctified  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  I  do  devote  unreservedly  to  thee.  I  knoiv  none 
but  thee,  0  my  God,  as  the  true  God.  I  believe  in  thee  ;  I 
trust  in  thee  ;  I  hope  in  thee ;  I  desire  none  but  thee  as  my 
supreme  portion.  I  fear  thy  great  and  dreadful  name,  the 
Lord  my  God.  To  thee  I  offer  the  supremacy  of  my  heart, 
and  affections.  Reign  thou,  O  Lord,  on  the  throne  of  this 
heart  without  a  rival.  Glorify  thyself  by  me.  I  am  thy 
servant,  and  the  work  of  thy  hands.  0  Holy  Spirit,  set  up 
thy  glory  in  this  temple  of  thine  :  and  let  it  shed  its  beams 
all  around  to  thy  praise  and  glory.  Accept  me,  O  Lord  :  I 
am  thine.  I  throw  myself  into  thy  gracious  and  protecting 
arms,  0  my  Father.  There,  in  communion  with  thee,  is 
my  delight,  and  my  "  days  of  heaven  upon  earth."  And 
when  thou  shalt  have  finished  this  new  creation,  I  shall  be 
with  thee  for  ever,  0  my  Creator,  my  PreseiTer,  my  Re- 
deemer, my  Sanctifier,  my  Judge  !  I  shall  be  perfect  in 
holiness,  perfect  in  beauty ;  perfect  in  will,  power,  and  ca- 
pacity, both  in  soul,  and  in  body.  In  that  land  of  glory  to 
which  thou,  my  dear  Redeemer,  hast  opened  the  new  and 


246 


OF    REGENERATION. 


living  way, — I  shall  exhibit  the  perfected  work  of  this  new 
creation,  before  all  the  angels,  and  all  the  ransomed,  rejoic- 
ing saints  in  the  same  glory.  Meantime,  O  my  God,  be 
with  me  in  this  vale  of  sorrow,  and  temptations.  Let  me 
have  the  sweet  and  delicious  assurance  that  1  am  thine,  and 
that  thou  art  mine,  in  the  joyous  days  of  health  and  glad- 
ness ;  and  in  the  days  of  disease,  and  sorrow,  and  death. 
Glory  dwells  in  Immanuel's  land.  And  I 'rejoice  that  I 
have  existed.  I  rejoice  that  I  have  been  born  again,  and 
made  a  new  creature.  I  rejoice, — and  my  heart  leaps  in 
me  with  joy,  that  I  shall  soon  be  with  thee,  O  blessed  Tri- 
une God,  in  the  land  of  perfection,  and  everlasting  glory, 
with  the  fullest,  and  most  complete  experience  of  all  my  re- 
novated powers  in  body,  and  soul.  Oh  !  the  divine  happi- 
ness of  blessing  thee,  and  of  being  blessed.  Oh  !  the  trans- 
porting pleasure  of  loving  thee  in  heaven's  perfected  fami- 
ly of  the  ransomed  ;  of  being  loved  by  God,  and  of  knowing 
in  heaven's  assurance,  that  I  am  loved  of  thee,  0  my  God. 
Oh  !  the  inconceivable  glory  of  giving  pleasure  to  all  the 
ransomed  family  ;  and  of  receiving  unbounded  pleasures 
from  them  in  return.  Glory  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son, 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen.  "  Our 
Father  who  art,"  &c. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


OP    SAVING    FAITH. 

"  A  man  is  noi  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law ;  but  by  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ;  even  we  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we 
might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Ciirist ;  and  not  by  the  works  of  the 
law  ;  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified." 

St.  Paul. 

Here  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  more  full  description  of 
faith,  by  which  we  are  justified. 

As  it  is  one  of  the  immediate  fruits  of  regeneration,  it  is, 
of  course,  a  free  gift  of  God.  "  Unto  you  it  is  given  in 
the  behalf  of  Christ  to  believe  on  him."  "By  grace  ye  are 
saved  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the 
gift  of  God."*  Hence  it  is  the  fruit  of  our  heavenly  father's 
love  ;  and  of  the  free  grace  of  Jesus  :  and  it  is  wrought  in 
us  by  the  same  spirit  who  makes  us  intellectual  beings  ;  and 
renews  us  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds.  And,  therefore,  it 
can,  in  no  sense,  be  a  meriting  exercise  of  the  mind.  It 
can  never  occupy  that  place  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  which 
good  works  held  in  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  works. 
It  can  no  more  be  conceived  a  meritorious  act  given  on  our 
part,  in  exchange  for  divine  blessings,  than  our  possession 

•  Phil.  i.  29.     Eph.  ii.  8.    John  vi.  65. 


248  OF    SAVING    FAITH. 

of  a  free  gift  of  a  friend's  love,  can  be  said  to  have  actually 
procured  that  friend's  love  to  us. 

To  arrive  at  the  true  idea  of  saving  faith,  let  us  call  to 
mind  the  nature,  and  mode  of  the  gospel  offer.  For  it  is  an 
act  of  the  new  creature,  exactly  corresponding  to  that  offer 
of  Christ. 

In  that  offer,  God  the  Father   makes  over  to  us  in  free 
gift  and  grant,  his  beloved  Son,  as  a  suitable  and  all-suffici- 
ent Saviour.     He  is  put  forth  as  God's   special  gift  to  us. 
^'  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son  ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."     He  gives  him  freely.     No  con- 
dition of  merit  is  required  of  us.     We   must  come  simply 
as  we  are.     We  must  not  wait  until  we  can,  by  some  kind 
of  process,  prepare  ourselves ;  and  be  in  a  condition  to  de- 
serve his  free  gift.     His  Son  is  the  choicest  gift;  infinitely 
able  to  save  us ;   and  as  willing   as  he   was  able  to  secure 
salvation  to  us.     And  this  offer  is  made  to  us  personally. 
Each  one  of  us  must  consider  the  offer  of  Christ  as  being 
made  to  ourselves  as  pointedly,  and  as  personally,  as  if  there 
was  not  another  human  being  besides  us.     This  is  as  evi- 
dently the  case,  as   is  the   command  of  God  to   obey  him. 
He  lays  his  injunction  on  every  person  as  particularly  as  if 
none  other  existed  besides   himself     Our  God  speaks  thus 
to  every  one  of  us  personally.     The  command  and  the  of- 
fer of  Christ  is,  therefore,  as  particular,  and  personal  as  is 
our  personal  responsibility.     He  does  not,  indeed,  name  us. 
But  he  does  more  ;  he  describes  us  as  the  sinful,  guilty,  and 
perishing  children  of  Adam.     ^'  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will 
ye  die."     "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."     Every  sinner  labours,  and 
is  heavy  laden.     This  is  his  personal  characteristic  of  utter 
helplessness.     As  certainly  as  each  is  thus  personally  help- 
less and  miserable,  so  certainly  is  Christ  the  willing,  and  all- 
sufficient  Saviour  freely  offered  to  you,  personally. 


OF    SAVI^'G    FAITH.  249 

Hence,  God  the  Father  says,  Look  upon  my  Son  ;  take 
him  in  all  the  plenitude  of  his  grace,  and  suitableness  of 
his  offices.  Take  him  to  thy  heart ;  receive  him  as  freely 
as  I  give  him ;  rest  upon  him  alone  for  salvation,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved. 

Now,  saving  faith  springs  up  into  life  at  this  divine  com- 
mand ;  and  meets  exactly  this  offer.     It  is  the  act  of  the 
new-born  soul  believing  God's  testimony,  hearing  his  free 
offer,  and  promptly  closing  with  that  offer.     I  give  thee  my 
Son,  says  God.     I  accept  him,  says  faith.     I  give  him  to 
thee  freely.    O  Lord,  I  accept  him  as  freely,  for  a  poor  sin- 
ner has  no  gift  to  bring  to  thee.    I  give  him  to  thee  person- 
ally, says  God. — I  accept  the  Saviour  as  my  own  Saviour. 
I  put  forth  the  withered  hand  by  the  command  and  power  of 
my  Redeemer.     I  take  him  into  my  soul.     I   appropriate 
him  to  all  my  own  personal  wants.     He  is  my  prophet,  my 
king,  my  atoning  high  priest.     I  lean  the  entire  weight  of 
my  soul's  salvation  on  his  atonement.     He  is  my  all  in  all. 
This  appropriating  act  is  essential  to  justifying  faith  : 
and  in  fact  it  is  that  element  in  pure  faith  which   distin- 
guishes it  from  the  vague  and  wavering  generalities  of  the 
faith  of  the  hypocrite,  and  the  faith  of  devils.     James  ii.  19. 
There  is  another  peculiarity  in  this  faith.      I  mean  assur- 
ance.    Now,  let  us   not  have  mistaken  views  here,  which 
some  betray.     We  do  not  mean  the  assurance  of  faith,  and 
of  hope,  and  of  sense,  to  which  believers  attain  in  the  high 
and  lofty  walks  of  Christian  life,  and  in  closer  communion 
with  God.     This  is  the  fruit  of  a  highly  perfected  faith,  and 
a  godly  life.     This  is  what  the  old  divines  call  the  reflex  act 
of  faith;  and  with  propriety.     For,  the  Christian   having 
reached  forward  to   the  measure  of  the  stature  of  a  perfect 
man  in  Christ,  opens  his  Bible,  and  sets  before  his  eyes  the 
character  of  the  true  Christian.    Then  looking  carefully  back 
over  his  own  life  ;  he  examines  his  soul,  and  heart  in  the 
light  of  the  Bible.     And,  perceiving  by  the  divine  aid  of  the 

22 


250  OF    SAVING    FAITH. 

Holy  Ghost,  that  he  possesses,  in  reality,  the  true  marks, 
graces,  and  life  of  the  child  of  God,  he  arrives  at  the  assur- 
ance of  faith,  the  assurance  of  hope,  the  assurance  of  sense. 
In  other  words,  he  feels  by  the  witnessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  him,  that  he  is  a  child  of  God,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  the 
heir  of  heaven. 

But,  besides  this  delightful  and  most  consoling  assurance, 
there  is  another  kind,  which,  if  we  mistake  not,  enters  into 
the  very  essence  of  saving  faith.  And  I  am  persuaded,  that 
if  we  shall  only  look  at  the  definition  of  its  nature,  we  shall 
admit  its  existence.  It  is  this  :  when  I  believe,  and  accept 
of  my  Saviour  Christ,  I  do  it  on  the  basis  of  the  divine 
testimony.  Hence,  in  the  act  of  faith  in  mj  Saviour,  I  have 
an  assurance  that,  upon  my  accepting  of  him,  as  my  Re- 
deemer, and  trusting  in  him  alone  for  salvation,  I  shall  as- 
suredly be  saved.  This  assurance  is  not  based  on  any  thing 
in  my  own  mind.  It  is  based  on  the  faithfulness  of  the  di- 
vine testimony.  Hence,  it  is  perfectly  rational  and  natural, 
for  the  Christian  to  say, — "  Yes,  I  am  assured,  that  upon  my 
receiving  my  beloved  Saviour,  and  trusting  in  him  accord- 
ing to  the  divine  testimony,  and  gospel  offer,  I  shall  as  cer- 
tainly be  saved  as  God  is  able  ;  and  Christ  is  willing  to  save 
me." 

ClUESTIONS. 

Is  faith  a  free  and  saving  gift  of  God  ? 

Does  the  grace  of  the  Triune  God  appear  in  this  gift  ? 

Can  faith  be  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace  1 
No:  Proof? 

How  can  you  arrive  at  a  just  idea  of  faith  1 

Has  it  a  direct  relation  to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  gos- 
pel offer  1 

State  the  nature  of  the  gospel  offer  of  Christ,  as  made  to 
us  by  God. 

Explain,  and  prove  this,  by  Scripture  texts. 


OF    SAVING    FAITH.  251 

State  the  character  of  this  offer.  Is  it  free  ?  Is  it  per- 
sonal ?     Give  the  proof  of  this. 

Sum  up  the  description  of  this  gospel  offer. 

Now,  does  saving  faith  correspond  exactly,  in  its  acts, 
with  this  offer  of  Christ?     Explain  this. 

Then,  as  the  gospel  offer  is  particular  and  personal,  does 
not  true  faith  make  a  particular  and  personal  application  of 
Christ? 

Is  not  this  personal  appropriation  essential  to  the  act  of 
saving  faith  ?     Give  the  proof,  and  illustration  of  this. 

Does  this  peculiar  act  discriminate  true  faith  from  all 
other  kinds  of  faith,  which  are  not  of  a  saving  kind  ? 

Is  there  an  assurance  attending  the  act  of  saving  faith  ? 

Define  this,  and  distinguish  it  from  another  kind  of  as- 
surance. 

What  is  that  other  assurance,  or  reflex  act  of  faith,  from 
which  we  distinguish  this  ? 

What  is  that  assurance,  or  reflex  act  of  faith  based  on  ? 

Now,  give  me  a  description  of  this  assurance  which 
enters  into  the  essence  of  saving  faith. 

What  is  it  based  on  ? 

Can  you  say  that  you  have  this  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ? 

MEDITATION. 

"  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency 
of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord, — that  I  may  win  Christ; 
and  be  found  in  him;  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is 
of  the  law ;  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  even  the 
righteousness  of  God,  by  faith."  St.  Paul. 

I  have  every  reason  to  bless  God,  that  I  am  no  longer 
under  the  claims,  and  curse  of  a  broken  covenant.  Free 
grace  does  not  its  work  by  halves,  or  in  a  stinted  measure. 
The  deliverance  by  divine  love  is  complete.  I  am,  there- 
fore, not  under  a  mixed  dispensation, — partly  administered 


252  OF    SAVING    FAITH. 

by  grace  ;  and  partly  by  human  merit.  My  divine  Re- 
deemer needs  no  human  aid  to  eke  out,  and  complete  the 
results  of  his  infinite  grace.  His  robe  is  seamless  :  it  can- 
not be  divided.  His  crown  and  throne  can  be  usurped  by 
no  created  being. 

I  have,  therefore,  to  bless  God,  that  I  am  not  even  under 
a  covenant  that  has  "  faith  for  its  easier  condition  ;"  in- 
stead of  the  "  more  arduous  condition  of  works."  That  early 
delusion  of  the  famous  Baxter,  I  renounce ;  as  he  did  re- 
nounce it,  in  riper  and  more  godly  days.*  It  dethrones 
Christ ;  and  crowns  the  rebel.  If  the  condition  of  my  God's 
giving  me  salvation,  rest  with  me,  wo  is  unto  me,  whether 
that  condition  be  faith,  or  certain  meritorious  acts.  All 
things  are  equally  impossible  to  one  who  is  dead  in  sins 
and  trespasses. — Blessed  be  God,  that  what  my  gracious 
Saviour  calls  grace — is  grace  indeed.  When  his  mercy  in- 
terferes, it  is  MERCY  that  becomes  God, — even  our  own  God 
of  the  everlasting  covenant.  There  is  nothing  done  grudg- 
ingly, and  stintedly  by  him.  There  is  no  condition  setup, 
to  fill  the  trembling  penitent  with  despair.  He  is  God  :  he 
acts  as  God :  he  saves  like  God !  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my 
soul,  that  the  condition  of  the  everlasting  covenant  rested 
not  in  the  hands  of  a  creature, — but  in  the  hands  of  Christ. 
And  he, — my  divine  substitute,  fulfilled  it  even  to  the  letter, 
in  perfection.  Nothing  can  ever  be  added  to  infinite  per- 
fection,— such  as  it  is.  For  what  he  did,  was  the  doing  of 
"  the  great  God,  our  Saviour."  His  atonement,  and  divine 
favours  can  receive  no  accession  of  worth,  and  efficacy  from 
all  this  in  man.  He  suspends  not  his  love  and  his  purchas- 
ed favours  on  the  condition  of  man's  buying  them.  God 
sells  no  favours.     The  ransomed  of  the  Lord  never  b^iy  any 

*  This  doctrine  of  Richard  Baxter  was  embraced  by  a  party,  after 
he  had  publicly  renounced  it.  Hence  he  wrote  his  book, — "  Baxter 
against  Baxter,"  to  reclaim  them. 


OF    SAVING    FAITH.  253 

blessing.  This  human  system  of  bartering  has  no  place 
in  the  covenant  of  free  grace.  All  is  of  "  free  and  sove- 
reign grace."  "He  finished  transgressions:  He  made  an 
end  of  sin."  "  He  trode  the  wine-press  alone  :  and  of 
the  people,  there  was  none  with  him."  Our  divine  substi- 
tute did  not  exhaust  his  love  in  paying  down  merely  an  un- 
willing stinted  portion  of  what  was  required  of  us.  He 
said  on  the  cross, — "It  is  finished  !"  This  puts  all  these 
idle,  and  impious  delusions  to  flight.  He  did  not  suspend 
the  certain  result  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  on  man's  acting, 
or  man's  completing  what  was  lacking.  If  works  formed 
any  part,  it  was  no  more  grace.  My  soul  abhors  and  de* 
tests  this  despicable  and  impious  system  of  bartering.  It  is 
the  renewal  of  the  doings  of  Simon  Magus  !  It  is  the  of- 
fering of  money  for  the  Holy  Ghost !  It  represents  Christ's 
perfect  atonement,  as  merely  a  compromise,  and  not  a  satis- 
faction in  full.  It  would  substitute  "  the  old  cast  clouts  and 
rotten  rags"*  of  the  Ethiopian,  in  the  place  of  the  glorious 
robe  of  Christ's  righteousness  ! 

But,  there  is  a  condition  of  connection  in  the  covenant 
of  grace.  "  If  thou  believe,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Faith 
is  the  condition  on  which  I  am  connected  with  Christ.  As 
God's  free  grace  is  held  out  to  the  perishing  sinner,  faith  is 
the  withered  hand  stretched  out  to  accept  it.  And  without 
this  we  cannot  be  made  partakers  of  it.  Now,  it  is  theg«/if 
which  enriches ;  not  the  hand  of  the  beggar  which  receives 
it.  And,  surely,  the  mere  presentation  of  the  hand  to  re- 
ceive, cannot  be  conceived  as  an  act  of  merit  setting  up  any 
rival  claim  against  the  supreme  and  glorious  donor. 

Now,  I  charge  my  soul  to  search,  and  see  what  thy  true 
condition  is.  Have  I  indeed  this  condition  of  connection 
with  Christ?  Have  I  complied  with  the  gospel  offer  ?  In 
compliance  with  the  terms  of  the  gospel,  have  I  freely,  and 

*  Jerem.  xxxviii,  12. 
22* 


254  OF    SAVING    FAITH. 

with  all  my  soul,  and  heart,  accepted  the  Lord  Jesus  as  my 
Saviour  ?  Have  I  entertained  the  impious  thought  of  offer- 
ing a  price,  to  buy  what  God  never  sells,  except  it  be,  with- 
out money,  and  price  ?  Do  I  simply  accept  the  rich  boon  ; 
and  offer  to  God  the  thank-offering  1  Do  I  crown  my  Sa- 
viour the  supreme  donor  of  all  gifts  1  Freely  he  gives ; 
have  I  accepted  freely  ?  He  singles  me  out,  with  a  person- 
al offer.  Have  I  accepted  him  on  his  own  terms  ]  Do  I 
appropriate  him  by  a  personal  application  as  my  own, — my 
all  in  all  1  Do  I  hold  him  up  before  the  Father,  and  cry  in 
filial  assurance, — "  Behold,  0  God,  my  shield  ;  and  look 
on  the  face  of  thine  own  anointed  Son  Jesus  Christ  ? 

And,  complying  with  his  terms,  and  accepting  him  on  the 
immoveable  basis  of  the  divine  offer,  I  arrive  in  due  time 
to  a  soothing  and  certain  assurance  that,  upon  this  act  of 
closing  with  the  offer  of  Christ,  being  consummated,  1  shall 
infallibly  be  saved.  This  assurance  is  based  not  on  any 
feeling,  or  merit  in  myself:  but,  on  the  immutable  testimo- 
ny of  God,  that  those  who  believe  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
SHALL  be  saved. 

And,  I  call  upon  my  soul  to  proceed  onward  steadily  in 
working  out  the  evidences  of  my  new  birth,  by  the  acts  and 
habits  of  a  holy  life.  And  when  I  shall,  through  grace, 
reach  the  measure  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,  I  shall  reach  the 
happy  state  of  that  other,  and  higher  assurance  of  faith, — 
even  a  consciousness  that  I  am  my  "  Beloved's,  and  that  he 
is  mine."  And,  pressing  still  onward  to  the  highest  chris- 
tian graces,  and  holiness,  I  shall,  through  the  Holy  Ghost, 
reach  the  assurance  of  sense, — and  a  consciousness  of  my 
Father's  love, — all  doubts,  and  all  fears,  and  all  sin  being 
taken  away,  while  I  pass  through  the  dark  valley  to  the  ful- 
ness of  joy,  and  immortal  glory  ! 

A  PRAYER. 

O  Lord  my  God !  let  me  humbly  approach  thee,  to  confess 
my  sins ;  and  renounce  at  thy  feet,  all  hopes  of  safety  by 


OF    SAVING    FAITH.  255 

the  law  of  works.  I  bewail  the  struggles  of  my  depraved 
heart  against  thy  sovereign  and  free  grace.  How  perverse 
is  rebellious  man  !  When  placed  by  thee,  0  sovereign 
Creator,  under  the  covenant  of  works,  he  refused  to  yield 
thee  obedience  by  works.  Now,  when  thy  mercy  has 
placed  us  under  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  our  frowardness, 
we  insist  on  returning  again  into  Egypt,  to  be  under  the 
bondage  of  the  broken  covenant !  Slay,  I  beseech  thee,  0 
God, — slay  this  evil  propensity  in  me.  And,  under  the  pres- 
sure of  my  sins,  0  !  grant  me  clearer  and  fuller  views  of 
Jesus,  as  he  is  offered  to  me  in  the  gospel.  0  my  blessed 
Saviour  !  I  trust  I  see  thee  in  the  plenitude  of  thy  offices. 
Here,  at  thy  feet,  I  cast  away  all  my  legal  hopes, — all  my 
self-righteousness.  And  I  take  hold  of  thy  righteousness, 
even  thine,  O  Lord. — I  believe  ;  h^elp  thou  my  unbelief. 
Oh !  that  I  could  cling  closer  and  closer  to  thee,  my  belov- 
ed, and  most  gracious  Lord.  Freely  art  thou  offered  to  me. 
On  thy  own  terms  I  accept  thee,  0  Lord,  my  righteousness 
and  my  strength.  Shed  abroad  thy  love  in  my  heart.  Melt, 
and  dissolve  my  soul  into  ardent  affection.  Oh !  for  deeper 
penitential  sorrow  for  my  sins,  which  nailed  thee  on  the 
cross  !  Oh  !  for  a  holier  life,  to  show  forth  the  power  of 
thy  life.  And,  as  I  advance  in  the  christian  course,  2;rant 
me  the  joyful  assurance  of  faith,  that  I  may  cry  Abba — Father, 
and  yield  thee  the  homage  of  a  sincere,  and  devoted  child. 
Deny  me  not  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  0  my  blessed 
and  exalted  Saviour.  Remember  thy  promise  on  which 
thou  hast  caused  my  faith  to  rest.  "  I  will  send  you  the 
Holy  Spirit !"  Be  it  unto  me,  0  Lord,  according  to  thy 
gracious  promise.  Grant  him  to  me  as  the  Spirit  of  faith, 
of  love,  and  of  holiness ! 

And,  life's  duties,  and  warfare  being  closed,  when  I  draw 
nigh  the  Jordan  of  death,  help  my  faith  to  put  forth  its  last 
and  holiest  closing  struggle.  0  help  me  to  lean  on  thy 
arm  of  faithfulness.     And,  0  let  me  depart  in   the  full   as- 


256  OF    SAVING    FAITH. 

surance  of  faith  ;  and  in  the  full  assurance  of  sense,  and  the 
thrilling  joys  of  a  triumphant  death.  My  last  days  will, 
then,  be  my  best  days.  My  doubts  will  all  vanish  away 
before  the  triumph  of  faith.  My  fears  shall  be  swallowed 
up  in  hope,  and  faith,  and  enjoyment.  By  faith  I  shall 
commit  my  departing  soul  to  thy  dear  bosom,  0  my 
blessed  Redeemer ;  and  my  poor  dissolving  body,  to  the 
grave,  as  prepared  by  my  risen  Lord,  in  the  full  and  as- 
sured hopes  of  a  glorious  resurrection.  Grant  me,  0  my 
God,  this  grace  to  rear  such  an  Ebenezer  to  thy  bounteous 
love  :  and  edify  all  around  my  dying  bed,  by  the  triumphs  of 
faith,  over  sin,  and  death,  and  Satan,  and  the  world.  And 
glory  shall  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  our  God  in  the  everlasting  covenant,  for  ever 
and  ever  :  Amen. — "  Our  Father  who  art,"  &c. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


OF    JUSTIFICATION^. 

"  The  law  of  God  exact,  he  shall  fulfil, 
Both  by  obedience,  and  by  love,  though  love 
Alone  fulfil  the  law  :  thy  punishment 
He  shall  endure,  by  coming  in  the  flesh. 
To  a  reproachful  life,  and  cursed  death  ; 
Proclaiming  life  to  all  who  shall  believe 
In  his  redemption :  and  that  his  obedience 
Imputed,  becomes  theirs  by  faith,  his  merits 
To  save  them,  not  their  own,  though  legal,  works." 

Milton. 

Justification  is  the  first-fruit  of  faith  in  Christ.  It  con- 
sists in  actual  deliverance  from  guilt,  and  condemnation.  It 
is,  in  strict  parlance,  a  law  phrase.  It  is  not  the  act  of 
making  the  sinner  holy.  It  is  the  act  of  the  Supreme  Judge 
finding  us  righteous — I  do  not  say  holy^ — but  righteous  ; 
and  pronouncing  us  to  be  righteous,  and  accepted  in  his 
sight ;  and,  thence,  acquitted  from  the  condemnation  of  the 
guilt  of  all  sin,  original  and  actual.  And  here  lies  the  dif- 
ference between  it,  and  sanctification.  Justification  is  a 
single  acf  of  the  Judge,  acquitting  us  from  all  guilt  by  a 
divine  pardon.  Sanctification  is  a  progressive  ivork  of  holi- 
ness in  the  soul  of  the  regenerated. 

Now,  when  the  Judge  finds,  and  pronounces  us  righ- 


258  OF    JUSTIFICATION. 

teous,  it  is  manifest  that  we  must  have  a  righteousness 
acceptable  in  the  presence  of  law  and  justice.  And  it  has, 
I  trust,  been  made  evident,  that  the  sinner  has  no  righteous- 
ness of  his  own,  personally.  Whence,  then,  has  he  that  by 
which  he  is  made  righteous  before  God  ?  I  answer,  the  im- 
puted RIGHTEOUSNESS  of  Christ :  so  it  is  called  repeatedly 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures.* 

Now,  let  us  understand  this  point  distinctly.  This  word 
"  imputed,"  we  have  seen,  is  used  in  a  distinctive  theologi- 
cal sense  by  us  ;  not  precisely  in  the  common  acceptation 
among  men.  It  has  the  same  force,  as  the  words  "  charg- 
ed to  our  account,"  when  applied  to  the  act  of  a  benevolent 
man,  who  presents  himself  to  our  creditor,  and  pays  down 
gratuitously,  in  full,  the  whole  amount  of  our  debts.  That 
payment  is  our  payment,  in  law,  by  the  will,  and  deed  of 
our  benefactor.  Being  ours  in  law,  it  is  "  charged  to  our 
account."  In  other  words,  it  is  imputed  to  us.  This  is 
the  exclusive  meaning  of  the  word,  as  used  in  a  theological 
sense.  It  is  not  made  our  payment  by  "  imputation."  It 
is  first  really  and  actually  ours  ;  and  then,  on  this  basis,  is 
it  "  imputed  to  us." 

Let  us  apply  this  to  the  mode,  and  reality  of  our  justifica- 
tion before  God.  Our  debts  we  never  could  pay  without 
everlasting  durance,  in  the  prison,  and  torments  of  hell,  as 
we  have  already  shown.  Christ,  our  substitute,  presented 
himself,  and  in  our  name,  and  on  our  behalf  paid  them,  in 
full.  This  is  what  is  properly  called  his  righteousness,  or 
atonement.  This  was  actually  ours  by  the  design,  and  con- 
stitution of  the  covenant  of  grace.  It  actually  is  ours  by 
the  Father's  love,  and  sovereign  will.  It  is  actually  ours 
by  the  design  and  will  of  Christ.  It  is  actually  ours,  in  the 
free  gift,  and  grant  of  the  gospel  offer. 

And,  let  me  add,  it  is  really  ours  in  the  instant  of  our 

*  Rom.  iv.  3.  5.  6.  22.  23.  24.  The  word,  rendered  covMted  and  imput- 
ed, is  the  same  word,  here,  in  the  original. 


OF    JUSTIFICATION.  259 

believing  in  Christ.  For,  the  first  immediate  fruit  of  faith 
is  a  vital  and  certain  union  to  him.  We  are  thereby  as 
really  united  to  Christ,  as  are  the  branches  of  the  vine  to  the 
vine.  By  it  are  we  as  really  one  with  him,  as  he  is  one 
with  the  Father.*  We  are  so  really  and  vitally  united  to 
Christ,  that  we  are  actually  pronounced  to  be  "  members  of 
his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones."f 

The  immediate  consequence  of  this  union,  by  the  consti- 
tution of  the  covenant  of  grace, — is  this  :  his  righteousness 
is  actually  and  really  ours.  It  is  as  much  so,  as  if  we  had, 
in  our  own  proper  persons,  fulfilled  all  righteousness.  We, 
thence,  stand  before  the  Father's  throne,  covered  with 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  And  it  being,  thus  really  ours, 
it  is  justly  imputed  to  us.  It  is  reckoned  fully  in  law,  and 
justice,  to  be  ours. 

Thence,  all  our  guilt  is  legally  taken  away.  We  are  ac- 
tually, and  really  righteous  before  God.  He  accordingly 
finds  us,  and  pronounces  us  to  be  righteous.  The  pardon 
goes  forth.  He  can  no  more  deem  us  unrighteous,  than  he 
can  find  Christ  unrighteous.  And  what  God,  the  Judge, 
says  once,  he  is  always  declaring.  He  has  pronounced  us 
righteous  in  Christ;  and  he  will  never, — no,  never  cease 
to  pronounce  us  righteous. 

Hence  the  certain  and  absolute  removal  of  all  our  guilt, 
for  ever.  Hence  the  acceptance  of  our  persons.  Hence, 
peace  of  mind  ;  and  a  consciousness  of  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther's love.  He  does  not  merely  pass  the  word  of  a  pardon 
on  us,  as  a  magistrate  invested  with  supreme  power,  can  do 
to  a  State's  prisoner.  Along  with  freedom  from  the  bondage 
of  guilt,  God  actually  sends  peace  into  the  conscience,  and 
soul,  and  heart  of  the  believer.  There  is  the  substantial 
reality  of  a  heavenly  and  irrevocable  pardon.  Hence,  the 
Christian  has,  in  a  degree,  less  or  more,  the  assurance  of 

*  John  xvii.  22.  23.  f  Ephes.  v.  30.     John  xv.  1—5. 


260  OF    JUSTIFICATION. 

God's  love,  the  peace  of  God  that  surpasseth  understanding  ; 
the  delicious  joy  of  a  christian  hope  ;  the  answer  of  a  good 
conscience  ;  increase  of  grace  ;  and  a  joyful  perseverance 
to  the  end  of  his  career. — Rom.  ch.  viii. 

aUESTIONS. 

What  is  the  first  fruit  of  faith  ? 

Define  justification  before  God.     What  is  it  1 

Is  there  not  a  material  difference  between  one's  being 
righteous,  and  being  holy  ?  Ans. — Yes  ;  as  much  as  there 
is  between  the  jyardon  of  a  criminal,  and  making  him  holy. 
This  is  the  technical  meaning  of  the  word  in  theology. 
To  be  righteous,  is  to  be  legally  delivered  from  the  guilt 
and  punishment  of  crime.  A  person  may  be  pardoned, 
and  yet  not  be  holy.  In  the  government  of  God,  holiness 
is  invariably  the  condition  and  result  of  pardon. 

Now,  then,  describe  the  difference  between  justification 
and  sanctification. 

When  God  declares  us  righteous  in  the  act  of  justifica- 
tion, is  it  not  evident  that  we  have  a  righteousness,  truly 
ours  ? 

Now,  have  we  any  righteousness  of  our  own  1 

Whence,  then,  have  we  this  righteousness  t 

We  have  no  personal,  but  an  imputed  righteousness. 
What  is  meant  by  the  word  "  imputed,''''  in  a  theological 
sense  ?     Explain  this  fully. 

Now,  will  you  apply  this  explanation  to  the  mode  of  our 
justification  before  God  1 

Is  it,  strictly  speaking,  correct  to  say  that  Christ's  righteous- 
ness is  ours  by  imputation  ?  Ans. — No  ;  it  must  be  ours  in 
some  way  or  other,  before  it  can  be  imputed  to  us.  When  a 
generous  benefactor  interferes  on  my  behalf,  no  payment 
by  him  for  me,  can  be  imputed  to  me,  unless  the  payment 
be  actually  made  ;  and,  thence,  be  actually,  and  really  mine. 
In  like  manner,  my  debt  cannot  be  made  the  debt  of  my 


OF    JUSTIFICATION.  261 

benefactor  by  imputation  merely.  There  must,  first,  be  a 
voluntary  assumption  of  my  place,  by  him,  and  the  volunta- 
ry act  of  assuming  it,  on  his  part;  thence,  being  his  debt, 
it  is  justly  imputed  to  him. 

Now,  then,  how  is  Christ's  righteousness  actually  ours  ? 
Explain  this  fully. 

How  is  it  really  ours  ?     Explain  this  fully. 
Being  thus  ours  actually,  and  really,  is  it  thence  imputed  to 
us?  ^ 

What  is  the  consequence  of  this  imputation  of  righteous- 
ness? 

Can  this  sentence  of  justification  ever  be  reversed  ? 

What  is  the  theological  maxim  on  this  point  ?  Ans.— 
"  What  God,  the  Judge,  has  once  pronounced,  that  he  al- 
ways  is  pronouncing  from  his  throne  for  ever." 

What  follows  this  pardon  by  our  God  ? 

Point  out  the  difference  between  a  pardon  from  a  human 
tribunal,  and  the  pardon  issued  by  God  in  our  justification. 

Can  a  human  pardon  send  peace,  and  freedom  from  re- 
morse, into  a  criminal's  bosom  ?     No,  never. 

Does  peace  of  mind  and  conscience  follow  our  pardon 
by  God?     See  Romans,  ch.  viii.  1. 

Enumerate  the  blessings  following  our  justification. 

Do  you  entertain  a  well-grounded  hope  that  you  are  ius- 
tified  ?  '' 

MEDITATION. 

"  There  is  a  light  that  gilds  the  darkest  hour, 
When  dangers  thicken,  and  when  tempests  lower ; 
That  calm  to  faith,  and  hope,  and  love  is  given  — 
That  peace  remains  when  all  besides  is  riven,— 
That  light  shines  down  on  earth,  direct  from  heaven." 

Edmeston, 

What  a  glorious  remedial  plan  has  the  mercy  of  our  God 
vouchsafed  to  us  !  In  the  best-regulated  human  government, 

23 


262  or    JUSTIFICATION. 

the  pardon  of  a  State's  criminal  is  made  at  the  expense  of 
public  justice.  For,  when  he  is  set  free,  with  impunity, 
justice  receives  no  satisfaction.  The  law  is  denied  the 
honour  due  to  the  violated  penalty.  "  The  murderer  shall 
die."  This  is  the  voice  of  law  and  justice.  But,  though 
the  deed  was  perpetrated  in  the  face  of  these,  no  penalty  is 
inflicted  ;  no  death  follows.  The  law  has  uttered  its  penal- 
ty in  vain.  The  law,  and  public  justice,  utter  one  thing : 
the  executive,  who  profess  to  sustain  the  law,  say,  and  do 
another.  Thus,  through  the  necessary  weakness  of  human 
government,  mercy  gains  its  triumphs.  In  many  instances 
this  happens  necessarily,  and  even  perhaps  justly.  But 
still,  it  is  at  the  expense  of  law  and  justice,  that  its  desira- 
ble triumphs  are  gained. 

In  the  government  of  the  Holy  and  Just  One,  no  such 
form  of  pardon  can  ever  take  place.  And  let  me  carefully 
treasure  this  up  in  my  soul.  There  is  no  weakness  in  his 
divine  government.  He  never  can  utter  one  thing,  by  his 
law,  and  do  another,  by  his  power.  He  never  can  rule  his 
world  by  a  fallacy !  Besides,  the  claims  of  his  justice  are  his 
own  claims — in  finitely  just.  To  set  aside  claims  that  are  infi- 
nitely just,  would  be  an  act  of  infinite  injustice  !  This  would 
introduce  boundless  evil  into  his  government,  by  his  own 
voluntary  act.  It  cannot  possibly  happen  in  any  circum- 
stance. Divine  law,  and  justice  must  have  their  full  and 
unobstructed  course,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they 
may. 

I  pray  God  that  I  may  ever  retain  a  deep  impression  of 
this  truth  on  my  heart.  There  is  a  disposition  in  the  deprav- 
ed mind,  to  measure  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  God's  go- 
vernment by  those  of  human  government.  "  Because  man," 
— say  they — "  can  pardon  the  greatest  outrage  to  the  laws  of 
the  land,  and  public  justice,  so  does  God  pardon  sin,  in 
the  face  of  his  divine  law,  and  justice.  Because  a  c^enerous 
man  can  forgive  a  debt  due  from  a  helpless  debtor  ;  so  does 


OF    JUSTIFICATION.  263 

God  forgive  the  debt  of  sin  against  his  law,  and  justice. 
May  I  never  be  so  far  deluded  as  to  be  led  away  by  this 
weak  sophism.  These  men  mistake  a  comparison  for 
an  argument.  And  they,  verily,  draw  a  conclusion  from 
a  compaWsoji,  which  they  mistake  for  an  argument!  And 
it  is  a  comparison,  moreover,  that  is  drawn  from  man's 
conduct,  to  regulate  the  divine  government :  and  bring 
down  the  infinite  majesty,  and  justice  of  Almighty  God  to 
the  level  of  human  weakness  !  I  shall  never  be  guilty,  I 
trust,  of  suggesting  a  model  for  the,  august  and  most  holy 
government  of  Almighty  God,  from  the  weakness,  and  im- 
perfections of  human  government  I — Because  human  laws 
and  penalties  proclaim  one  thing,  and  the  executive  say  and 
do  another,  in  their  government ;  shall  I  sin  against  God, 
by  venturing  to  teach,  or  even  to  think,  that  the  unchange- 
able, and  most  holy  One  says  one  thing  in  his  law,  before 
all  his  subjects ;  and  as  publicly  denies  himself,  by  contin- 
ually doing  another  thing  in  his  acts  ! 

No,  the  penalty  of  law,  and  justice  must  fall  in  its  full 
measure.  On  the  guilty,  or,  on  the  substitute  it  may  fall. 
But,  fall  it  mtist ;  or,  the  divine  government  falls.  It  did 
fall,  as  we  have  seen,  in  its  full  measure.  And  it  fell  on 
the  head  of  our  substitute.  Hence,  "  God  is  a  just  God, 
and  a  Saviour." 

From  the  exuberant  mercy  of  God,  we  obtain  a/ree,  and 
a  full  pardon  of  our  sins.  It  is  free.  Nothing  can  be 
more  free.  It  was  the  love  of  God  which  sent  his  own  Son 
into  our  world.  It  was  the  love  of  the  Son  which  moved 
him  to  ransom  us.  And  no  price  is  required  at  our  hands, 
for  his  boundless  mercies. 

It  is  a,  full  pardon.  It  is  complete  in  its  nature,  and  all 
its  rich  fruits.  And  it  is  never  revoked.  And,  then,  as  to 
the  form  of  this  pardon, — how  admirable  is  it, — how  divine! 
It  is  not  like  the  pardon  issued  by  a  human  government, 
Such  a  pardon  only  takes  away  the  pains  of  death, /or  the 


264 


OF    JUSTIFICATION. 


present.  It  cannot  remove  from  the  criminal,  the  remorse 
and  horrors  of  conscience,  which  crush  his  soul :  it  cannot 
take  away  the  fearful  anticipation  of  a  dreadful  execution  in 
eternity.  My  God  issues  no  such  pardons  to  us.  He 
does  not  call  us  up  to  his  awful  bar ;  and,  there,  without 
the  interposition  of  a  substitute,  without  any  satisfaction  to 
his  justice,  without  adhering  rigidly  and  necessarily  to  the 
claims  of  faithfulness  and  truth,  does  thence,  send  us  off 
with  a  pardon. 

No,  no  :  if  such  a  pardon  by  our  God,  be  even  conceiv- 
able, I  should  feel  no  relief  of  mind  from  it.  I  should  feel 
the  horrors  of  conscience,  as  often  as  I  turned  my  eyes  on 
the  holy  law.  I  should  be  utterly  overwhelmed  with  remorse, 
as  often  as  I  saw  its  just  claims  remaining  unanswered, 
against  me. — Were  this  the  form  of  pardon,  wherever  I  met 
divine  justice,  face  to  face, — and,  oh  !  whither  could  I  flee 
to  escape  its  awful  purity, — I  should  still  hear  it  uttering  its 
thunder  on  my  ears, — "  The  soul  that  sinneth, — it  shall 
die !"  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
things  written  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them  !"  Heaven- 
ly peace  could  never, — no,  never,  enter  my  breast !  I  never 
could  look  on  the  burning  throne  of  the  Holy  and  Just  One. 
Heaven,  in  that  case,  would  be  no  heaven  to  me.  I  should 
be  driven  forth  from  the  divine  presence,  by  the  flaming* 
sword  of  his  seraphim,  and  my  own  overwhelming  consci- 
ousness of  guilt. 

But,  blessed  be  the  Lord  my  God,  his  divine  mode  of 
pardon  is  altogether  worthy  of  his  government,  and  suited 
to  our  guilt,  and  weakness.  His  justice,  and  law  are  ele- 
vated high  on  their  throne.  They  cannot  descend  from 
this  lofty,  and  most  righteous  demand.  Our  Redeemer 
descends  from  his  throne.  The  incarnate  God,  our  Savi- 
our, enters  the  arena.  He  presents  himself,  doing  homage 
to  the  law  and  justice  of  the  divine  government.  He  is 
accepted  as  our   substitute.     He   voluntarily  assumed   our 


OF    JUSTIFICATION.  265 

overwhelming  debt.  It  was  made  his,  by  the  act  of  substi- 
tution, and  a  judicial  act  of  the  Father  as  Judge.  This 
debt  of  our  sin  being  thus  really,  and  actually  his,  it  was 
thence  imputed  to  him.  He  met  every  claim  of  law  and 
justice,  cheerfully,  in  his  own  person,  on  the  tree  ;  until  it 
being  completed,  the  dying  Redeemer  said,  "It  is  finish- 
ed !"  And  the  Father  repeated  it,  by  raising  him  from  the 
dead  ! 

Now,  this  payment  in  full, — otherwise  called  our  Lord's 
satisfaction,  or  atonement,  or  righteousness, — was  designed 
for  me,  by  the  purpose  of  my  heavenly  Father  ;  and  was 
wrought  out  for  me,  by  the  death  of  my  Redeemer  ;  and  is 
actually  mine,  by  virtue  of  my  union  to  Christ,  through  faith. 
Thence  it  is  righteously  imputed  to  me  :  and  I  am  clothed 
with  it  as  with  a  fair  and  spotless  robe. 

I  am  led  up  to  the  bar  of  my  God.  I  am  presented  be- 
fore him,  sustaining,  as  he  does,  the  majesty  of  his  law, 
and  the  inflexible  justice  of  his  government.  Clothed  in 
this  righteousness,  I  am  accepted  before  him.  Divine  jus- 
tice  finds,  and  declares  me  righteous,  in  the  eyes  of  God. 
Law  and  justice  having  been  fully  satisfied,  cannot  allow  a 
demand  of  a  second  payment  of  the  same  debt.  They 
find  me  not  a  debtor  to  the  claims  of  the  divine  adminisi ra- 
tion ;  becaiise  these  have  all  been  actually  paid.  They 
pronounce  me  to  be  righteous,  just  because  they  find  me 
truly  righteous  in  Christ.  The  voice  of  pardon  is  pro- 
nounced on  me.  The  law  rejoices  over  me.  And  I  re- 
joice in  its  holy  claims.  Divine  justice  rejoices  over  me, 
and  is  now  my  fast  and  sure  friend,  pledging  its  honour  to 
seo  me  in  full  possession  of  the  blessed  inheritance  of  heaven. 

O  glorious  remedial  plan !  O  divine  dispensation  of 
mercy!  May  all  my  blindness,  and  prejudices  be  taken 
away,  that  I  may  see  its  glory,  and  suitableness  ;  and  re- 
joice in  it,  with  all  my  soul  and  heart!  And,  Oh!  for 
clearer  and  fuller  evidcence  of  my  being  found  in  Christ ;  of 

23* 


266  OF    JUSTIFICATION. 

having  his  unspotted  righteousness  upon  me ;  that  being 
imputed  to  me,  I  may  have  the  full  pardon  of  all  my  guilt, 
original  and  actual. 

And,  by  the  help  of  my  God,  I  do  resolve  to  work  out  the 
evidence  of  this,  by  love  to  God,  by  a  holy  life,  and  love  to 
all  the  brethren.  And  in  the  way  of  duty,  and  a  holy  life, 
may  I  find  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  I  may  re- 
joice in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  And  in  the  bright  circle 
of  the  ransomed,  and  justified  ones,  who  compose  the  family 
of  Christ  in  heaven,  I  shall  with  rapture,  join  the  song 
of  the  redeemed, — "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  to  receive  honour 
and  glory,  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  thou  hast  redeemed  us  to 
God,  by  thy  blood !"     Amen. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  God,  and  father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  I  humbly 
come  to  thee,  to  beseech  thee  to  bring  me  to  the  foot  of  the 
cross  of  Christ,  before  I  am  summoned  to  the  bar  of  thy  jus- 
tice. These  claims  against  me,  I  can  never  meet,  and 
live.  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  me,  O  Lord.  In  thy 
sight  no  flesh  living  can  be  justified,  by  his  own  righteous- 
ness. Quicken  me,  O  God,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit.  Without 
him  there  is  no  life  in  me.  And  with  this  holy  and  spiri- 
tual life,  vouchsafe  to  me,  I  beseech  thee,  the  faith  of  thy 
chosen  ones :  and  ripen  it  into  maturity,  that  I  may  hum- 
bly cherish  the  sweet  hope,  that  I  have  fled  for  refuge  to  the 
hope  set  before  me,  even  Christ  the  hope  of  Israel.  Oh ! 
for  an  enlarged,  and  refreshing  evidence  that  "  I  am  found  of 
thee,  my  Father,  in  Christ  Jesus ;  not  having  on  my  own 
righteousness  which  is  of  the  law  ;  but  that  which  isthroufrh 
the  faith  of  Christ ;  even  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith." 
O  seal  thy  pardon  on  my  heart.  Vouchsafe  to  me  that  peace 
of  conscience,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  thy  Fa- 
therly pardon,  alone,  can  give.  Let  me  feel  the  joyful  as- 
surance of  thy  love.     Give  me  an  abundant  increase  of  thy 


OF   JUSTIFICATION.  267 

grace.     And  when  fears  and  doubts   cause  anxious  mis- 
givings of  heart,  O  Lord,  help  me  to  fly  to  thee,   on  the 
wings  of  faith,  to  be  renewed  in  my  strength  ;  and  to  mount 
up  as  on  eagles'  wings,  to  run  and  not  to  weary,  to  walk  and 
not  faint,  in  the  Christian's  race.     And  when  temptations 
and  sin  overtake  me, — And,  Oh!  how   often  am  I   over- 
taken, through  the  weakness  of  faith,  and  the  infirmities 
of  the  flesh, — quicken  me,  0  Lord,  that,  with  fresh  activity,  I 
may  hasten  to  the  throne  of  grace,  there  to  spread  out  all 
my  woes,  and  all  my  wants  before  thee.     I  am  unworthy  of  the 
least  of  all  thy  mercies.     But  see,  O  God,  here  is  my  shield : 
look  upon  me  in  the  face  of  my  substitute,  thy  well  beloved 
Son  ;  the  anointed  and  dear  Reedemer.     He  is  most  worthy 
for  whose  sake  I  plead.     O  Lord,  disarm  every  temptation. 
Oh !  strengthen  me  for  my  duties  ;  and  my  warfare,  against 
every  sin.     0  grant  me  the  serene,  and  abiding  evidence  of 
my  pardon,  and  thy  love,  in  the  hour  when  first  I  sought  and 
knew  thee,  my  adorable  Redeemer !     Enable  me  to  work  out 
the  evidence  of  my  calling,  my  election,  and  my  justifica- 
tion.    Oh !  to  reach  forward  to  the  delightful  and  refresh- 
ing evidence,  by  the  steadfastness  of  a  sincerely  christian 
life.     And  when  I  reach  the  sinless  world  above,  the  land 
of  the  ransomed  and  the  righteous,  there,  by  the  rivers  of 
the  waters  of  life,  shall  I  love,  and   adore,   and   serve,  and 
enjoy  thee,  with  all  my  perfected  powers  of  body  and  soul, 
for  ever  and  ever. — And,  now,  may  the  God  of  peace,  who 
brought  again  from   the   dead   the   Lord   Jesus,   the  Great 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant, — make  me  perfect  in  every  good  work,  to  do  thy 
will,  O  my  God ; — working  in  me  that  which  is  well  pleas- 
ing in  thy  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ ;  to  whom,  with  thee, 
O  my  Heavenly  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory  for 
ever  and  ever  ;  Amen. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


REPENTANCE. 

"  What  better  can  we  do  than  to  the  place 
Repairing,  where  He  judged  us.  prostrate  fall 
Before  Him  reverent,  and  there  confess 
Humbly  our  faults,  and  pardon  beg  ;  with  tears 
Watering  the  ground ;  and  with  our  sighs  the  air 
Frequenting,  sent  from  hearts  contrite,  in  sign 
Of  sorrow  unfeigned,  and  humiliation  meek  1 
Undoubtedly  He  will  relent,  and  turn 
From  his  displeasure  ;  in  whose  look  serene, 
When  angry  most  he  seemed,  and  most  severe, 
What  else  but  favour,  grace,  and  mercy  shone  !" 

Milton. 

A  MAN  may  repent  with  a  bitterness  and  pungency  of 
grief,  and  yet  he  may  not  become  holy.  There  is,  in  fact, 
a  repentance  which  is  originated  by  no  good  principles,  and 
is  regulated  by  no  Christian  motives.  This  is  a  repent- 
ance unto  death, — not  unto  life.  It  is  just  another  name 
for  remorse,  and  slavish  terror.  It  proceeds  from  horror  of 
the  judgment-seat.  If  its  victim  can  only  escape  from  hell, 
he  has  no  concern  for  a  holy  life ;  or  the  sweet  hope  of 
heaven.  The  case  of  Judas  exhibits  a  painful  illustration  of 
this. 

Repentance,  which  issues  in  life,  spiritual  and  eternal,  is 


REPENTANCE.  269 

essentially  different  from  this.  Like  faith,  it  is  one  of  the 
first  evidences  of  a  new  heart.  It  is  a  grace  "  granted  to  us  " 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  sole  author  of  our  regeneration.  It 
springs  forth  into  exercise  the  moment  we  receive  life,  and 
the  proper  dispositions,  and  power  from  God,  in  the  new 
birth.  It  is  simultaneous  in  its  acts,  with  true  faith ;  and 
inseparable  from  it.  A  true  believer  is  always  a  genuine 
penitent ;  and  a  true  penitent  is  always  a  genuine  believer. 
To  suppose  that  a  true  believer  can  be  impenitent,  and  un- 
holy  ;  is  to  suppose  as  great  an  absurdity  in  the  Christian 
world,  as  to  suppose  a  square  circle,  would  be,  in  the  physi- 
cal world. 

But,  while  faith  and  repentance  are  twin-sister  graces, 
still  we  must  admit  that  faith  precedes  her  sister,  in  the  or- 
der of  nature.  Here  is  the  reason  ;  it  arises  out  of  the  very 
nature  of  the  two  graces.  Repentance  is  a  returning  to 
our  God,  from  our  evil  ways.  We  return  to  God,  only 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But,  we  come  to  Christ 
only  in  the  way  of  believing.  Hence,  coming  to  Christ, 
and  believing  on  him,  are  synonymous  words. — John  vi.  35. 
Hence,  believing  in  his  name  is  first  in  the  natural  order 
of  mental  operation. 

Repentance  begins  in  the  human  mind,  the  seat  of  know- 
ledge. We  must  know  our  God,  before  we  can  love  him  ;  we 
must  know  ourselves,  our  corrupt  natures,  and  heinous  sins, 
before  we  can  feel  the  proper  abhorrence  of  them.  Hence, 
we  are  brought  first  "  to  look  upon  Christ  whom  we  have 
pierced;  then  we  mourn  for  him."     Zech.  xii.  10. 

Having  begun  in  the  intellectual  powers,  it,  thence,  per- 
vades the  whole  heart.  Our  heavenly  Father  being  present- 
ed to  our  hearts  through  a  divinely  illumined  mind,  we  spring 
forward  to  him  with  desire,  love,  and  affection,  such  as  we 
never  before  felt.  "  I  will  return  to  my  Father !"  says  the 
penitent.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  And  there 
is  none  upon   earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."      When 


270 


REPENTANCE. 


Jesus,  in  all  his  excellence,  in  his  human,  and  in  his  divine 
glory, — as  "  ruddy  and  wliite,  the  chieftest  among  ten  thou- 
sand,"— is  presented  to  the  divinely  illumined  mind, — the 
heart  of  the  penitent  springs  forward  to  embrace  him,  with 
ardent  affections,  which  nothing  can  quench.  "  Oh ! 
height,  and  depth !  O  breadth  and  length  of  the  love  of 
Christ !"  When  sin  in  its  true  nature  is  viewed  by  a  di- 
vinely illumined  mind, — as  an  evil  committed  against  God, 
— without  excuse, — violating  every  sacred  tie  ;  and  breaking 
through  all  law,  and  every  obligation  which  binds  man  to  his 
glorious  Creator,  to  his  bountiful  benefactor.  Redeemer,  and 
Judge, — the  penitential  heart,  smitten  by  the  rod  of  God, 
pours  out  the  streams  uf  unaffected  grief  and  sorrow!  The 
whole  heart  is  melted  down,  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  of 
Christ;  and  it  gives  vent  to  its  overpowering  emotions,  in 
the  most  unaffected  language  of  humility. 

"  Show  pity,  Lord  !  O  Lord,  forgive; 
Let  a  repenting  rebel  live  !" 

"  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now 
mine  eye  seeth  thee ;  wherefore,  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent 
in  dust,  and  ashes."  "  1  lie  down  in  my  shame,  and  my  con- 
fusion covereth  me ;  for  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  my 
God  !"  "  O  Lord,  thou  hast  chastised  me  ;  and  I  am  chastis- 
ed ;  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke  ;  turn  thou  me, 
and  I  shall  be  turned  ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God. 
Surely  after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented ;  and  after  that  I 
was  instructed,  I  sm.ote  upon  my  thigh ;  I  was  ashamed, 
yea,  even  confounded,  because  I  did  bear  the  reproach  of  my 
youth."* 

The  confession  of  the  lips  is  a  prominent  and  satisfac- 
tory evidence  of  evangelical  repentance.  1st,  It  is  made 
under  a  present  and  abiding  sense  of  sin.     "  Mine  iniquity 

*  Job.  xlii.  5, 6.    Jerem.  iii.  25.    xjfxi.  18,  19. 


t      REPENTANCE.  271 

is  ever  before  me."  2d,  It  is  made  under  a  heart-rending 
consideration  of  what  the  penitent  has  done  formerly  against 
his  God.  Sd,  He  dwells  minutely  on  those  sins  which  lie 
heavily  on  his  conscience.  "Against  thee, — thee  only, 
have  I  sinned  ;  and  in  thy  sight  have  I  done  this  evil." 
4th,  All  this  is  done  in  great  mental  agitation,  with  tears, 
and  lamentations.  "I  smote  upon  my  thigh;  I  was  asham- 
ed, yea,  confounded!"  Lastly;  All  this  is  done  with  an 
humble  and  child-like  acceptance  of  the  punishment,  and 
correction  for  his  sins.  "If,  then,  their  uncircumcised 
heart  be  humbled  ;  and  they,  then,  accept  the  punishment 
of  their  iniquity,  then  will  I  remember  my  covenant,"  &c.* 
Finally ;  all  these  exercises  of  the  mind  issue  in  the  ge- 
nuine fruits  of  a  holy  life.  Every  true  penitent  "breaketh 
off  his  sins  by  righteousness ;  and  his  iniquities,  by  show- 
ing mercy  to  the  poor."  Dan.  iv.  27.  "  They  bring  forth 
fruits,"  in  a  holy  life  and  conversation,  "meet  for  repent- 
ance." These  are  the  best  proofs  of  its  existence,  and 
genuine  nature,  as  a  christian  grace  vouchsafed  to  us  by  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

aUESTIONS. 

Is  there  a  repentance  to  death  ? 

State  the  proper  marks  of  this  counterfeit  of  evangelical 
repentance? 

Can  you  name  any  instance  of  this,  in  ancient  and  mo- 
dern times  ? 

What  is  the  other  kind  of  repentance? 

Who  is  the  author  of  this  precious  grace? 

Can  it  exist  anywhere,  but  in  a  renewed  heart  ? 

It  is  inseparable  from  a  certain  grace.  What  is  that 
grace  ? 

Are  its  acts  simultaneous  with  faith? 

*  Levit.  xxvi.  41.  42. 


272  REPENTANCE. 

Can  a  believer  be  impenitent, — or  an  impenitent,  a  be- 
liever? 

While  faith  and  repentance  are  twin  graces,  which  of 
them  is  first  in  the  order  of  nature  ?     Proof  of  this  1 

Does  true  repentance  begin  in  the  intellectual  powers  of 
man  ?     The  proof  of  this  1     From  reason  1  from  Scripture  ? 

Beginning  thus,  does  it  pervade  the  whole  heart? 

Explain,  and  illustrate  this. 

When  gospel  truth  is  presented  to  the  heart  through  a 
divinely  illumined  mind,  what  is  the  blessed  result? 

Give  the  proof  and  illustration  from  Bible  texts. 

Is  confession  by  the  lips  from  the  heart,  to  God  only,  a 
part  of  this  grace  ? 

Name  the  first  peculiar  attribute  of  this  confession.  The 
second  ?     The  third  ?     The  fourth  ?     The  last  ? 

What  is  the  grand  outward  test  of  evangelical  repentance  ? 
Give  the  proof  of  this. 

Can  you  say  that  you  have,  in  your  heart,  and  in  life, 
the  satisfactory  evidence  of  evangelical  repentance  ? 

MEDITATION. 

"  Prostrate,  dear  Jesus  !  at  thy  feet, 

A  guilty  rebel  lies  : 
And  upwards,  to  the  mercy-seat, 

Presumes  to  lift  his  eyes. 
If  tears  of  sorrow  would  suffice 

To  pay  the  debt  I  owe; 
Tears  should  from  both  my  weeping  eyes 

In  ceasless  torrents  flow!" 

What  an  alarming  condition  is  that  of  the  impenitent 
sinner !  Oh !  how  many,  on  every  side  around  us,  are  sleep- 
ing in  apparent  peace,  on  the  very  brink  of  eternal  perdi- 
tion! They  are  in  a  deep  sleep,  while  their  houses  are 
wrapt  in  flames :  and  their  souls,  dreaming  of  no  evil,  are 
suspended,  as  it  were,  by  a  single  hair,  over  the  bottomless 


EEPENTANCE.  273 

pit !  Tremble,  my  soul,  while  thou  seest  how  sin,  and 
spiritual  death  seal  up  the  powers  of  the  human  mind  in  ut- 
ter insensibility  ! 

Reflect,  my  soul,  on  the  horrid  condition  of  the  sinner, 
who  has  his  eyes  opened  only  in  the  last  moments  of  life, 
when  it  is  too  late !  All  is  over  with  him  !  The  hour  of 
God's  patience,  and  man's  opportunity  is  gone; — and 
gone  beyond  remedy  for  ever !  He  departs  in  horror.  And, 
O  my  soul,  who  can  conceive  his  condition  on  his  appear- 
ance at  the  bar  of  God, — and  as  he  hears  the  sentence  of 
his  irresistible  doom ! 

There  is  a  turning  point  in  every  man's  existence. 
Every  subject  of  God's  moral  government  will  be  awakened, 
at  some  period  of  his  being,  sooner  or  later.  Every  knee 
shall  bow  to  God ;  every  mouth  shall  confess.  Every  mor- 
tal shall  do  him  homage — either  at  the  foot  of  the  throne  of 
grace, — or  at  the  bar  of  inflexible  justice !  Blessed  are  the 
chosen  of  God,  the  ransomed  of  the  Most  High.  It  is  their 
lot  to  be  awakened  in  this  life.  Their  legal  hopes  are  all 
destroyed,  and  their  souls  bowed  down  under  the  terrors  of 
God's  law, — whence  they  escape,  by  faith  and  penitence, 
to  the  throne  of  his  love,  and  a  joyful  acceptance ! 

But,  Oh !  the  impenitent, — the  finally  impenitent !  His 
awakening,  and  horrors  of  soul  commence  on  a  dying  bed, 
— or  in  the  very  valley  of  gloomy  death, — or,  it  may  be,  at 
the  bar  of  God.*  Then, — Oh !  then  is  the  hour  and  power 
of  his  darkness, — a  darkness,  which  will  never  be  broken  in 
upon  by  one  single  ray  of  light,  or  hope.  He  will  weep  end- 
less tears  of  unavailing  repentance! 

"  His  hollow  eyes  will  utter  streams  of  wo. 
There  will  be  groans  that  end  not,  and  the  sighs, 
That  always  sigh,  and  tears  that  ever  weep, 
And  ever  fall, — but  not  in  mercy's  sight. 
And  sorrow,  and  repentance,  and  despair 

♦  See  that  remarkable  text  of  Math.  vii.  22,  23. 
24 


274  REPENTANCE. 

Among  them  walk,  and  to  their  thirsty  lips, 
Present  the  frequent  cups  of  burning  gall!" 


POLLOK. 


0  my  soul !  turn  thee  more  and  more,  to  the  Lord  thy 
God,  from  every  sin,  even  the  most  cherished.  I  lament 
and  bewail  the  deep  corrupting  fountain  of  my  original 
guilt,  and  pollution  ;  and  all  my  actual  sins.  My  sins  are 
innumerable.  And  the  guilt  of  each  one  of  them, — were  it 
to  fall  on  my  soul,  as  a  thunderbolt,  would  crush  me  beyond 
remedy,  in  helpless  despair,  for  ever ! 

But,  0  Lord,  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee.  There  is 
hope  to  the  weeping  penitent.  I  am  allowed  to  see  thee,  O 
God,  on  thy  gracious  throne.  Thou  sendest  thy  quicken- 
ing Spirit.  He  vouchsafes  to  me  the  rich  gift  of  life,  of 
faith,  of  repentance.  My  heavenly  Father  does  not  merely 
call  loudly  on  me,  and  beckon  to  me.  He  lays  his  merci- 
ful hand  on  me ;  and  hurries  me  out  of  the  city  of  destruc- 
tion. All  is  of  his  free  love  and  grace.  I  cannot  awaken 
life  in  me.  Death  can  never  send  forth  the  actings  of  a 
living  man.  Without  the  Holy  Ghost  there  is  no  breathing 
of  faith,  or  of  penitential  sorrow  within  me. 

1  bless  my  God  for  the  means  of  grace  by  which  he  grants 
me  repentance  to  life.  I  bless  thee  for  the  holy  and  pure  light 
of  glory,  shtd  in  bright  effulgence  over  thy  divine  govern- 
ment, by  which  my  soul  was  first  illumined,  and  alarmed. 
Thy  terrific  justice  flashed  in  overpowering  majesty  on  my 
guilty  conscience.  Thy  law  uttered  its  peals  of  thunder, 
which  made  my  soul  quake.  I  fell  at  thy  feet.  My  carnal 
hope  was  utterly  broken  down.  Rottenness  entered  into 
my  bones.  All  my  hopes,  and  vain  confidence  forsook  me, 
and  vanished  as  a  fond  dream.  I  clung  to  the  cross  of  my 
bleeding  Redeemer.  Thy  grace  opened  my  eyes.  It  shed 
the  precious  light  of  salvation  on  my  poor  trembling  soul. 
I  did  cleave  to  my  Redeemer,  by  firm  faith,  and  ardent  love. 
And  O,  how  joyfully  did  this  fond  heart  spring  forward  to 


EEPENTANCE.  275 

meet  thee,  my  God,  when  I  saw  thee  in  the  light  of  my  re- 
conciling God,  in  Jesus  Christ.  I  love  thee,  O  God  of  my 
salvation.  I  adore  thee ;  I  cleave  to  thee ;  and  I  love  to 
be  bound  closer  and  closer,  by  the  cords  of  thy  love.  And 
the  more  I  know  thee,  and  feel  thy  love,  the  more  this  heart 
of  mine  abhors  sin.  1  loath  it  as  a  dead  body  clinging  to 
me.  I  long  to  have  the  work  of  repentance  perfected. 
And  for  this  purpose  will  I  labour  to  attain  to  the  evidence 
thereof,  by  a  life  of  quickened  and  growing  holiness  in 
heart,  and  in  life.     So  help  me,  0  my  God. 

PRAYER. 

O  gracious  God !  ever  blessed  be  thy  name,  that  a  door 
of  hope  is  opened  to  me.  When  thy  glory  was  made 
known  to  us,  it  was  by  making  thy  goodness  to  pass  before 
our  weeping  eyes.  Thy  voice  proclaimed  it  on  our  dis- 
tracted souls,  that  thou  art  merciful,  and  gracious,  and  long 
suffering.  This  door  of  hope  disclosed  the  new  and  living 
way,  to  thy  presence.  By  this,  the  sorrowing  and  believing 
penitent  has  free  access,  and  a  joyful  acceptance,  with  thee  : 
and  our  tears  of  penitence  fall  before  thee, — not  in  despair ; 
but  in  sweet  hope,  and  in  mercy's  sight ! 

The  rod  of  thy  word,  0  Lord,  has  smitten  the  rock  of 
my  hard  heart ;  and  the  tears  of  repentance  shall  flow 
amain.  And  they  shall  flow  still  more  and  more,  as  thy 
face,  in  love  and  pity,  shines  on  me  ;  and  melts  me  into 
deeper  sorrow  for  all  mine  iniquity  and  vileness. — Thy  law, 
0  Lord,  when  first  it  burst  in  terror  on  my  soul,  filled  me 
with  distraction  and  horror ;  and  brought  me  to  the  borders 
of  despair.  But  it  was  thy  smiling  fatherly  face  that  moved 
me,  and  made  me  weep  in  sorrow.  It  was  thy  tender  love, 
— it  was  the  sight  of  Jesus  bleeding  on  the  cross,  that  melted 
me  down,  and  caused  the  fountain  of  penitence  to  flow  in 
my  soul.  And  the  more  I  see  thee,  and  love  thee,  the  more 
do  I  grieve  for  my  abominable  sins,   committed  against 


276  REPENTANCE.' 

thee, — against  such  purity, — such  justice, — such  love,  and 
such  mercy  !  I  had  long  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of 
the  ear  ;  but  now  mine  eyes  see  thee  on  the  throne  of  thy 
resplendent  glory, — and  I  repent,  and  abhor  myself,  in 
sackcloth,  and  ashes.  Thy  wonderful  love  in  Christ  Jesus, 
melts  my  heart  into  love,  as  often  as  I  think  of  it.  Thy 
captivating  purity,  and  holiness  excite  in  me  a  tumult  of 
mixed  emotions.  Now,  I  abhor  my  sins,  and  pollution, 
which  make  me  so  unfit  for  thy  presence.  Now,  I  am  cap- 
tivated with  love  to  thee,  and  long  to  be  made  like  unto 
thee,  O  my  blessed  Redeemer  !  Oh !  then,  reveal  more 
and  more  of  thy  love,  and  glory  to  me,  O  my  gracious  Fa- 
ther :  that  I  may  love  thee  more ;  and  pant  more  fervently 
after  purity,  and  holiness.  Grant  me  strength  to  look  with 
stronger  and  stronger  eyes  of  faith,  upon  thy  holiness,  thy 
justice,  and  thy  mercy  ;  until  this  heart,  in  the  full  emotions 
of  a  perfected  repentance,  shall  rest  on  thee,  and  recline  on 
thy  bosom,  with  unfaltering  love  :  and  there  receive  the 
seal  of  my  heavenly  Father's  love  ;  and  hear  his  voice  say, 
— "  My  child,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  :  go  in  peace  I" 

0  hear  me,  my  gracious  God,  and  answer  the  desires  of 
my  heart.  Accept  the  homage  of  this  poor  broken  and 
contrite  heart.  Lead  me  in  the  way  of  holiness,  and  es- 
tablish my  feet  firmly  in  the  path  of  life.  When  I  wander, 
0  gracious  Shepherd,  bring  the  humble  weeping  penitent 
back  to  the  fold  of  thy  sheep.  When  I  fall, — graciously 
lift  me  up  ;  and  restore  to  me  the  light  of  thy  face  in  the 
midst  of  the  pleasing  sorrows  of  penitence.  Let  the  tears 
of  contrition  mix,  and  flow  forth  with  the  tears  of  restorer 
hope,  and  joy.  And  when  all  my  services  and  trials  arc 
finished,  receive  my  humble,  but  joyful  and  enraptured  soul 
into  thy  presence.  And  I  will  ascribe  glory  to  the  Father, 
and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever. 
Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,  &c.  Amen. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

"  Unworthy,  most  unworthy  is  your  servant, 
To  stand  in  presence  of  the  King,  or  hold 
Most  distant,  and  most  humble  place  in  his 
Abode  of  glory,  excellent,  unrevealed. 
But  God  Almighty  be  for  ever  praised, 
Who  of  HIS  fulness,  fills  me  with  all  grace, 
And  ornament,  to  make  me  in  liis  sight, 
Well  pleasing,  and  accepted  in  his  Court." 


POLLOK. 


The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  ckansetb  us  from  the  pollu- 
tion of  all  sin,  as  well  as  from  its  guilt.  This  cleansing  is 
called  sanctijication.  "  Whom  he  justifies,  them  he  also  glo- 
rifies." And  the  sanctification  of  our  souls  is  our  glory, 
and  final  preparation  for  heaven.  "  For  without  holiness 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

It  differs  from  justification,  which  consists  in  one  single 
act  of  God's  grace.  This  is  a  ivorkof  the  Holy  Spirit,  pro- 
ceeding in  various  degrees  of  progress,  through  its  dreary 
winter  seasons  ;  and  its  bright  and  balmy  summers.  But, 
with  all  its  variety  of  aspect  to  the  eye  of  man,  it  always 
maintains  its  onward  course.  Through  doubts,  and  unbe- 
lief, through  joys  and  sorrows ;  through  sad  reverses  and 
cheering  victories,  the  Christian  pursues  his  way  by  invinci- 
24* 


278  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

ble  grace,  up  the  steeps  of  the  narrow  way,  to  the  mount  of 
God. 

This  may  be  considered  in  a  twofold  view :  First, — 
as  a  work  of  grace  on  the  part  of  God.  Second;  as  a  work 
of  duty  on  our  part.  "  We  work  out  our  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling ;"  while  "  God  works  in  us  both  to  will, 
and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure." 

First : — as  a  work  of  grace.  The  Holy  Spirit  takes  the 
glory  exclusively,  not  only  of  implanting  in  our  souls  the 
first  principles  of  spiritual  life ;  but  also  of  sustaining, 
strengthening,  and  ripening  them  into  perfection. 

There  is  an  analogy  between  God's  influences,  and 
operation  in  the  natural,  and  the  spiritual  world,  at  once 
perfect  and  beautiful.  Our  natural  life  he  bestowed  on  us 
by  a  gratuitous  act  of  his  power.  That  life  he  sustains 
every  moment  of  our  existence,  by  his  bounteous  visita- 
tions. Our  spiritual  life,  in  like  manner,  he  bestowed  on 
us  by  a  sovereign  act  of  his  grace.  That  "life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God."  It  is  sustained  by  his  love.  It  is  drawn 
forth  into  healthy  action  by  his  grace.  Its  languor  and 
sickliness  are  removed  by  the  balmy  breathings  of  his  spirit ; 
who  cherishes  it ;  quickens  it  into  active  holiness ;  and  in 
due  time  crowns  it  with  the  ripeness,  and  beauty  of  perfec- 
tion. "  In  Him  we  live ;  and  in  Him  we  move ;  and  in 
Him  we  have  our  being," — both  as  christians,  and  as 

CREATURES. 

And  all  this,  according  to  his  universal  system  in  na- 
ture, God  does  by  his  own  selected  means.  Our  natural 
lives  are  sustained  by  the  means  of  his  providence ;  such  as 
food,  drink,  clothes,  rest,  heat,  medicine.  We  cannot  de- 
scribe the  manner  in  which  these  means  sustain  and  extend 
life.  We  cannot  perceive  how  food  is  converted  by  a  hid- 
den and  mysterious  process,  into  new  and  healthy  blood. 
It  is  enough  to  cherish  our  pious  dependence  on  his  divine 
providence,  that  we  do  know  the  fact  that  all  this  is  so. 


OF  SANCTIFICATION.  279 

In  like  manner  is  our  spiritual  life  sustained.  And  this 
is  done  by  his  selected  means  of  grace ;  such  as  his  divine 
doctrines,  his  promises,  and  all  the  ordinances  of  his  sab- 
bath, and  his  sanctuary  ;  and  especially  the  Lord's  Supper. 
How  this  is  done,  we  are  not  able  to  tell.  How  he  con- 
firms, and  enlarges  our  spiritual  perceptions,  and  know- 
ledge ;  how  he  strengthens  our  faith ;  how  he  ripens  into 
maturity  our  love  to  him,  our  penitence,  our  hope,  and  all 
the  graces  which  cluster  around  the  heart  of  the  Christian, — 
by  the  effectual  application  of  these  means  of  grace,  we  can- 
not comprehend.  The  mysteries  in  the  natural  life,  and 
the  mysteries  in  the  spiritual  life,  teach  us  humility,  while 
they  never  shake  our  faith  in  the  manifest  facts  of  the  one 
and  the  other.  The  wisdom  and  love  of  God  gave  us 
the  gospel,  and  all  his  ordinances,  "  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
saints  ;  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all 
come,  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man ;  unto  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  And  thus,  "we  grow  up 
into  him  in  all  things."  Eph.  iv.  12, 13,  1.5. 

How  the  Holy  Ghost  cleanseth  us  from  the  defilement  of 
sin,  we  may,  in  some  measure,  understand  by  considering 
the  following  things. 

To  every  vice,  there  is  an  opposite  virtue.  To  every 
form  of  indwelling  sin,  there  is  an  opposite  grace,  proceed- 
ing from  the  Holy  Spirit. — Now,  these  vices  and  sins  are 
effectually  uprooted  by  the  implantation  of  the  living  princi- 
ples of  the  virtues,  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  they 
die  away  under  the  vigorous  growth  of  these  graces,  and  vir- 
tues of  the  Christian. 

The  Holy  Ghost  "works  all  these  works  in  us."  He 
illumines  by  his  word ;  he  quickens  ;  he  perfects.  The  re- 
sult is,  that  "he  worketh  in  us  both  to  will,  and  to  do,  of 
his  good  pleasure."  That  is, — we  obtain  from  him,  as  the 
Lord  of  £ill  life,  the  will  and  the  capacity  to  love  God  ;  to 


280  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

yield  up  to  him  our  souls,  and  our  bodies,  as  instruments  of 
righteousness,  and  holiness,  as  those  who  are  alive  from  the 
dead ;  and  are  zealous  in  new  obedience.  We  now  know 
the  things  of  God  ;  for  we  have  the  will,  and  capacity  to  dis- 
cern them  spiritually.  We  now  receive  the  things  of  God ; 
for  they  are  no  more  foolishness  to  us,  as  they  are  to  the 
natural  man.  Our  love  is  excited,  and  carried  out  with  a 
supremacy  of  affection  ;  because  "  the  love  of  Christ  con- 
straineth  us."  We  repent  with  deep  humility,  of  all  our 
sins ;  deploring  the  evil  we  have  done  ;  and  forsaking  them, 
and  abhorring  them,  as  "that  abominable  thing  which 
God  hates."  Our  passions  and  desires,  which  cling  to 
earthly  and  sensual  things,  are  disentangled  from  the  tempt- 
er's snares  ;  and  are  made  pure  ;  and  are  directed  to  their 
holy  and  proper  objects  ;  by  means  of  a  fresh  and  vigorous 
growth  of  divine  love  to  God,  and  spiritual  objects.  The 
love  of  the  world  is  displaced  by  the  increase  of  love,  and 
devotional  obedience  to  our  Heavenly  Father.  Unbelief  is 
weakened,  and  consumed  away  by  degrees,  as  fresh  vigour 
and  life  are  conveyed  to  our  faith,  and  zeal.  A  covetous 
disposition  is  displaced,  with  its  horde  of  evil  and  disgust- 
ing attendants, — lust,  ambition,  pride,  hatred,  envy,  malice, 
wrath,  strife,  with  all  their  overt  fruits  of  bitterness,  and 
death, — and  by  degrees  it  is  wholly  removed  by  spiritual 
mindedness,  with  all  its  lovely  constellation  of  graces, — 
such  as  "love,  joy, peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  meek- 
ness, goodness,  faith,  temperance." 

Second  : — Our  sanctification  may  be  viewed  as  a  work  of 
duty  on  our  part. — Let  us  never  forget  that  all  this  muni- 
ficent grace  is  obtained  by  us,  and  ripened  into  a  healthy  vi- 
gour by  us,  in  the  way  of  our  laborious  devotion  to  every 
requirement  of  duty ; — in  other  words,  in  the  steadfast  and 
persevering  use  of  appointed  means.  The  Blessed  Spirit 
does,  indeed,  "  work  all  his  works  in  us  ;"  and  bestow 
every  grace,  free  as  the  air  we  breathe.     But,  it  is  just  as 


OF    SANCTIPICATION.  281 

true  that  he  does  work  them  in  us,  by  our  devout,  and 
steadfast  use  of  his  appointed  means  of  grace.  We  are 
placed  under  a  deep  and  solemn  responsibility.  He  creates 
his  grace  in  us.  But,  in  order  to  obtain  it,  we  must  put 
forth  every  faculty  of  our  souls  into  a  laborious  exercise  in 
asking,  and  seeking,  and  knocking  at  the  door  of  free 
grace.  We  must  do  this  with  all  om  soul,  heart,  mind,  and 
strength.  We  must  neglect  no  one  means  of  his  grace. 
We  must  employ  each  in  its  proper  place :  and  for  its  spe- 
cial end.  With  unwearied  pains-taking,  with  humility,  and 
prayer,  we  must  wrestle,  as  in  an  agony, — with  the  God  of 
Jacob  ;  and  refuse,  with  a  holy  importunity,  to  let  him  go, 
until  he  blesses  us. 

In  these  dutiful  exercises  must  we  persevere  as  earnestly 
and  devotedly,  as  if  we  could,  by  these  means,  actually 
cleanse  ourselves.  "  We  must  make  unto  ourselves,"  in 
this  way,  "a  new  heart."  And  at  the  same  time,  our  love 
and  duty  to  our  Saviour,  constrain  us  to  rely  so  exclusively 
on  his  divine  grace,  and  merits, — as  if  all  means,  and  all 
duties,  and  all  efforts  were  powerless  and  vain.  This 
maxim  let  me  impress  deeply  on  every  mind,  until  it  be- 
come familiar  in  our  lips, — God  never  requires  man  to 
DO  God's  work  :  but  he  commands  every  man  to  do 
ALL  HIS  duty.  Carry  out  this  maxim  in  your  whole  con- 
ception of  the  work  of  God,  and  man's  duty  and  agency, 
in  the  great  salvation.  It  will  prevent  you  from  trenching 
on  God's  high  prerogative,  and  grace.  It  will  make  you 
feel,  and  know  your  own  proper  place,  as  the  humble  reci- 
pient of  divine  grace  ;  not  the  contriver,  and  author  of  your 
own  regeneration,  and  salvation.  It  will  prompt  us  to  ask  ; 
— and  to  ask,  because  it  is  God  that  giveth  out  of  his  ful- 
ness. It  will  prompt  us  to  seek  ; — and  to  seek,  because 
God,  who  has  assured  us  that  he  combines  the  means  with 
the  end,  will  cause  us  to  find.     It  will  prompt  us  to  knock, 


282  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

— and   to  knock  with  persevering  earnestness, — because 
God  will  open  to  us. — Math.  vii.  7,  8. 

The  Scriptures  abound  with  intimations,  and  commands 
on  this  matter.  "Work  out  your  salvation."  "  Make  ye 
a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit."  "Repent,  and  turn  your- 
selves from  your  transgressions."  "  Grow  ye  in  grace." 
"  Build  up  yourselves  on  your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in 
the  Holy  Ghost :  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  G  od." 

Now,  let  us  see  how  we  are  to  do  all  this. — ^We  grow  in 
spiritual  discernment,  when,  by  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, we  illumine  ourselves  more  and  more  in  God's  pure 
light  of  truth  :  and  thus  we  expel  darkness  from  our  minds, 
and  drive  off  doubts,  and  fears. 

By  holy  contemplation,  and  acts  of  devotion,  we  cleave  to 
our  Divine  Redeemer,  by  fresh  acts  of  faith ;  we  fix  our 
minds  steadily  on  his  love,  on  his  rich  grace,  and  Almighty 
power ;  we  realize  his  unceasing  care  over  us,  as  our 
Teacher,  our  atoning  High  Priest ;  our  Intercessor,  our  so- 
vereign Lord.  Confidence,  and  love,  and  faith  in  him  do 
thence  grow,  and  increase,  and  take  possession  of  our  hearts. 
Hencf  our  faith  is  refreshed,  and  greatly  strengthened. 
And,  thence,  by  necessity,  unbelief  is  weakened,  and  gra- 
dually dies,  with  its  various  attendant  host  of  distressing 
doubts,  distrust,  fears,  and  despondency.  "  Out  of  the 
depths  have  I  cried  unto  thee,  0  Lord. — I  wait  for  thee,  0 
Lord  ;  my  soul  doth  wait ;  in  thy  word  do  I  hope." 

The  habit  of  repentance,  and  contrition  for  sin,  we  can 
cherish,  and  strengthen,  by  having  our  hearts  filled,  and 
possessed  with  a  sense  of  God's  awful  and  spotless  purity  ; 
and  the  spirituality  of  his  law ;  and  the  august  majesty, 
and  uncompromising  purity  of  his  justice.  Oh !  then, 
how  loathsome  will  &in  appear  to  our  hearts  ?  With  what 
intense  feelings  of  our  own  unworthiness  ; — and  self-ab- 
horrence, will  we,  then,  throw  ourselves  in  the  dust,  at  the 
feet  of  our  compassionate  Redeemer, — crying, — "  Unclean ! 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  283 

unclean !  We  have  heard  of  thee,  by  the  hearing  of  the 
ear;  but,  now,  our  eyes  see  thee!  Wherefore,  we  abhor 
ourselves  ;  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  !"  Now,  "  what 
carefulness  is  wrought  in  us  1  Yea,  what  clearing  of  our- 
selves ?  Yea,  what  indignation  ?  Yea,  what  fear  ?  Yea, 
what  vehement  desire  1  Yea,  what  zeal  1  Y'ea,  what  re- 
venge" against  sin  ?* 

And  thus  we  destroy  impenitence  ;  and  melt  down  the 
obduracy  of  "  the  old  man"  in  us.  And  thus  "  we  turn 
ourselves  from  our  transgressions  ;"  and  "  make  to  our- 
selves the  new  heart,  and  the  new  spirit."  And,  thus,  "  we 
cleanse  ourselves  from  all  the  filthiness  of  the  flesh,  and 
spirit ;  and  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  We 
consider  with  impartial  care,  what  are  the  reigning  sins  in 
us.  And  selecting  the  virtues,  or  the  graces  directly  op- 
posed to  them,  we  cherish  that  grace ;  we  mature  into  a 
more  perfect  exercise,  that  virtue  ;  until  we  have  gradually 
mortified  the  flesh,  with  the  aflections,  and  lusts.  And  all 
this  can  be  done  successfully,  only  through  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  is  shed  on  us  abundantly  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Thus,  the  Blood  of  Christ,  Good's  Son,  cleanseth  us  from 
the  guilt  of  all  sin  ;  so  that  we  have  pardon,  and  peace  with 
God.  And  thus,  it  cleanseth  us  from  the  defilement  of  all 
sin. 

Now,  to  pursue  this  subject  farther,  with  success,  allow 
me  to  remark  that  this  pollution  of  sin  had  inflicted  a  double 
evil  on  us,  as  does  the  consciousness  of  crime  on  all  ra- 
tional beings.  First :  It  overwhelms  us  with  shame  and 
confusion.  "  I  lie  down  in  my  shame,  and  my  confusion 
covereth  me,  because  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  my 
God."  In  the  progress  of  sanctification,  we  are  freed  from 
this  degrading  and  deplorable  condition.     With  the  cause  of 

*  2Cor.  vii.  11. 


284  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

our  shame,  that  shame  is  taken  away.  With  the  cause  of 
our  confusion  and  disgrace,  that  confusion  and  disgrace  are 
removed.  Our  heavenly  Father  now  welcomes  us  to  his 
presence,  and  the  joys  of  his  fellowship.  "Come  let  us 
draw  near,  with  the  true  heart,  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith ; 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and 
our  bodies  washed  as  in  pure  water." 

Second  :  The  pollution  of  sin  makes  us  objects  of  loath- 
ing in  the  eyes  of  infinite  purity,  and  holiness.  God  can- 
not look  upon  us  sinners,  but  with  abhorrence  of  sin.  But, 
the  cause  of  this  loathsomeness  being  removed,  we  are  made 
acceptable  in  God's  sight.  This  abhorrence  is  not  taken 
away  from  sin  in  the  abstract :  but  from  our  persons  as  sin- 
ners ;  so  that  we  are  actually  as  those  who  are  cleansed  and 
made  pure  before  him.  Hence  God  draws  near  to  us  ; 
and  we  are  brought  near  unto  him.  We  are  no  more  term- 
ed the  forsaken  f  and  desolate.  "  We  are  married  to  the  Lord, 
and  he  delighteth  in  us  ;  and  rejoiceth  over  us,  as  his  belov- 
ed spouse."  Isai.  Ixii.  4,  5.  And  this  love  and  commu- 
nion are  mutual,  and  abiding.  "  I  am  my  beloved's  ;  and 
my  beloved  is  mine."     Sol.  Song,  vi.  3. 

Lastly  :  another  important  part  of  our  salvation  consists 
in  our  deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  Satan.  "For  this 
purpose  was  the  Son  of  God  manifested,  that  he  might 
destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  First, — In  doing  this,  our 
Lord  has  broken  up  his  usurped  power  over  man,  in  this 
world :  and,  in  particular,  over  his  own  ransomed  people. 
This  blow  of  our  Almighty  Redeemer's  arm  was  felt  by 
Satan,  and  all  his  legions,  to  the  remotest  abodes  of  his  do- 
minion. They  retired  in  consternation  from  the  pagan 
oracles  ;  and  the  long-boasted  scenes  of  their  triumphs. 
This  blow  has  not  yet  entirely  consummated  the  ruin  of 
these  rebels,  and  their  machinations.  The  conquered 
leader  is,  indeed,  in  chains,  and  he  has  been  led  captive  ; 
while  his  power  has  been  greatly  paralyzed.     But  the  final 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  286 

triumph  yet  remains  ;  when  he  shall  be  cast  into  the  pit  of 
his  final  destination.  Our  blessed  King  is,  the  meanwhile, 
reaping  the  first  distinguished  fruits  of  his  glorious  conquest. 
Satan  is  compelled  to  recede,  as  the  light,  and  glory  of  the 
church  advance.  And  he  is  now  being  driven  out,  and 
is  "  falling  as  lightning  from  heaven."  The  advance 
of  the  latter  day  glory  will  send  out  the  rays  of  effulgent 
truth  and  holiness,  beaming  brightly  over  the  world. 
"  Iniquity,  as  ashamed,  will  hide  itself."  And  our  world  shall 
be  cleansed  from  the  presence,  the  treasons,  and  pollutions  of 
Satan.  And  in  the  joyful  day  of  universal  emancipation, 
when  "  the  new  heavens,  and  the  new  earth  "  shall  proceed 
from  God,  the  victory  over  this  enemy  shall  be  consummat- 
ed for  ever. 

In  the  meantime  the  church  is  the  field  of  the  Christian's 
personal  triumphs  over  Satan,  and  all  his  wiles.  Our  Lord 
throws  a  wall  of  permanent  protection  around  each  of  his 
ransomed  ones.  This  wall  of  protection  Satan  cannot  un- 
dermine, nor  surmount.  He  who  is  "  mighty  to  save,"  and 
who  did  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  cast  out  devils,  and 
made  Satan,  and  his  angels  fall  as  lightning  from  heaven, 
and  quail  at  his  feet,  does  still  retain  them  in  chains  ;  and 
render  them  powerless  to  harm  us,  beyond  the  mere  trials 
of  his  temptations.  Christ's  love  is  changeless.  This  love 
is  our  indissoluble  bond  of  union  to  him.  Nothing  can 
separate  him  from  us.  Nothing  can  separate  us  from  him. 
His  watchful  care  is  the  exercise  of  his  omnipotence  over 
us.  That  keeps  Satan  in  chains.  That  secures  present 
peace,  and  future  triumph. 

Second  :  Besides  this,  there  is  an  additional  care  exer- 
cised over  us.  As  long  as  there  is  a  vestige  of  indwelling 
sin  within  us,  there  is  a  dangerous  foothold  in  us,  for  Satan, 
and  his  ever-busy  emissaries.  But,  in  proportion  as  we 
are  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds  ;  and  the  remains  of 
indwelling  sin  are,  thence,  gradually  destroyed  in  us, — eacTi 

25 


286  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

foothold  of  Satan,  and  his  busy  agents,  is  thence  destroyed, 
and  his  facilities  of  assaulting  us,  are  by  degrees  effectually 
swept  away.  In  vain  do  the  hosts  of  hell  assail  us,  and 
Satan  hurl  his  fiery  darts,  when  faith  keeps  watch  ;  and  our 
Redeemer's  righteousness,  as  a  shield,  covers  our  vitals. 
And,  finally,  when  this  body  of  sin  and  death  shall  be  abo- 
lished ;  when  this  soul,  purified  from  every  sin,  shall  be 
clothed  afresh,  in  our  resurrection  body,  now  made  pure, 
and  powerful,  spiritual,  and  immortal, — the  watchful  cun- 
ning, and  sleepless  malice  of  hell,  can  thenceforth,  no  more 
tempt  us,  nor  trouble  us.  They  can,  thenceforth,  no  more 
assail  us,  than  they  can  an  angel  who  has  been  ever  sin- 
less in  his  unclouded  holiness,  and  glory. 

aUESTIONS. 

What  cleanses  us  from  all  sin  1 

State  the  difference  between  justification,  and  sanctifica- 
tion. 

Is  there  great  variety  in  the  exercise  of  those  who  are  in 
a  state  of  sanctification  ? 

What  is  the  hvo-fold  view  of  sanctification  ?  What  is  the 
first  ? 

Who  is  the  sole  author  of  all  life,  natural  and  spiritual  ? 

Describe  the  analogy  between  God's  influences,  and  ope- 
rations in  the  natural  world  1 

What  are  God's  means  of  providence  to  sustain  our  natu- 
ral lives? 

What  are  his  means  of  grace  to  sustain  our  spiritual 
lives  1 

Describe  this  fully. 

How  does  the  Holy  Ghost  cleanse  away  our  sins  ?  Ex- 
plain. 

Whence  derive  we  power,  and  grace  to  persevere  in  this 
work? 

In  what  way  does  the  Spirit  destroy  the  habits  of  sin  ? 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  287 

What  is  the  second  view  of  sanctification  ? 

Does  the  Spirit  work  on  our  minds  in  an  irrational  man- 
ner 1     How  then? 

Does  grace  tend  to  cherish  indolence,  and  the  neglect  of 
divine  means? 

With  what  motives  should  we  use  all  these  means  of 
grace  ? 

Recite  the  maxim  designed  to  guide  us  into  proper  dis- 
tinctions. 

What  will  be  the  effect  of  piously  attending  to  this 
maxim  ? 

Do  the  Scriptures  enjoin  it  on  us,  to  work  out  our  salva- 
tion? 

When  this,  and  similar  commands  seem  difficult  to  be 
reconciled  with  the  melancholy  truth  of  man's  depravity  and 
inability  in  mind  and  will ;  how  do  you  apply  the  above 
maxim? 

Can  we  use  the  powers  aright  which  we  have,  without  the 
divine  power  of  the  Holy  God  ?  Jerem.  x.  23.  Ephes.  ii.  1, 2. 

How  do  you  practically,  comply  with  these  commands  ? 

Give  a  farther  illustration.     Another  instance  ? 

How  are  we  to  oppose  and  overcome  impenitence  ? 

Has  the  pollution  of  sin  inflicted  two  great  evils  on  us  ? 
Name  them. 

Explain  the  first :  and  how  that  evil  is  cured.     A  text  ? 

Explain  the  second :  and  how  that  is  cured.  A  text 
proof  ? 

There  is  another  important  branch  of  our  salvation. 
What  is  it? 

What  is  the  first  thing  our  Lord  does  in  destroying  the 
works  of  Satan  ? 

Is  the  church  the  field  of  the  Christian's  triumphs  over 
Satan  ?     Explain  this. 

What  is  the  second  thing  our  Lord  does  in  destroying 
Satan's  power  ? 


288  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

When  and  where  will  our  triumphs  over  sin,  and  all  our 
enemies,  be  perfected  1 

Do  you,  my  dear  friend,  cherish  the  hope,  that  you  are 
under  the  cleansing  power  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  Have 
you  obtained  the  Holy  Ghost?  Do  you  study  to  be  holy? 
Do  you  "  grow  in  grace  ?"  Do  you  "  keep  yourself  in  the  love 
of  God"  by  all  holy  means?  2  Pet.  iii.  18.     Jude,  ver.  21. 

MEDITATION. 

"  Rock  of  ages  !  cleft  for  me, 

Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee. 

Let  the  water  and  the  blood, 

From  thy  side  a  healing  flood, 

Be  of  sin  the  double  cure, 

Save  from  wrath,  and  make  me  puke  !" 

Have  I  passed  from  death  to  life  ?  Do  I  perceive  a  real 
change  in  my  views,  my  desires,  and  pursuits  ?  Does  the 
love  of  the  Father, — or,  the  love  of  the  world  reign  in  me  ? 
— Here  I  pause.  I  will  now  throw  myself  down  on  my 
knees,  and  pray  to  God  for  divine  light,  and  guidance. 
*  *  * 

If  I  am  passed  from  death  to  life,  then  have  1  received  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  a  principle  of  spiritual  life.  By  his  quick- 
ening power  has  it  been  infused,  and  inlaid,  into  every  fa- 
culty of  my  soul,  and  every  power  of  my  heart.  And 
where  there  is  real  life,  there  is  corresponding  activity. 
This  habit,  or  principle  of  spiritual  life,  is  as  strictly  a 
reality  in  my  renewed  soul,  as  is  the  principle  of  natural 
life  diffused  over  my  body.  The  one  is  natural  life :  the 
other  is  spiritual.  The  one  is  as  real  in  its  own  place,  and 
mode  of  operation,  as  is  the  other.  Without  the  one,  I 
am  dead,  in  my  grave.  Without  the  other,  I  am  "  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins." 

And  my  gracious  God  has  promised  this  to  us,  as  a  real 
blessing ;  and  one  of  infinite  importance.  "  A  new  heart 
will  I  give  to  thee."  "  You  hath  he  quickened  into  life,  who 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  289 

were  dead."  Blessed  be  God  for  all  this  rich  display  of  his 
grace. 

Now,  search,  my  soul,  into  the  operations  of  this  divine 
life.  Wherever  it  exists,  it  shows  itself  by  action.  It  is 
not  a  dead  and  inoperative  element.  And  among  its  first 
actions,  it  inclines  and  moves  the  whole  soul,  into  disposi- 
tions, and  acts  suitable  to  its  own  spiritual  nature.  It  con- 
veys an  inclination,  and  disposition  to  my  reason,  percep- 
tion, judgment,  memory,  and  conscience:  to  perform  their 
spiritual  functions  :  to  discern  the  truth,  to  discriminate,  to 
remember  it,  to  be  regulated  by  it :  and  to  give  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  before  God.  It  inclines  and  moves 
the  will,  the  desires,  the  passions,  and  affections,  to  what  is 
pure,  and  holy.  It  has  the  power  of  a  reigning  law  in  my 
mind.  It  leads  me  on  to  walk, — not  after  the  flesh,  but 
afler  the  Spirit ;  and  to  have  a  respect  to  all  God's  com- 
mands. 

And,  in  the  midst  of  all  temptations,  and  trials,  which  I 
must  encounter,  it  inclines  and  moves  me  to  all  the  duties 
of  holiness  with  an  evenness,  and  constancy  of  power. 
And,  finally,  it  is  permanent  in  urgent  inclinations.  It  is 
a  real  life, — and  one  that  can  never  be  extinguished.  Can 
I  ever  forget  the  words  of  my  divine  Redeemer, — «  Be- 
cause I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  This  is  guarantee  suffi- 
cient to  secure  abiding  comforts.  My  perseverance  in  this 
divine  life  is  thus  intimately  connected,  and  interwoven 
with  the  honour  of  the  divine  love,  and  power,  and  the  very 
life  of  Christ. 

But  there  is  something  more,  resulting  from  this  life.  It 
consists  of  a  certain  power,  and  real  capacity  to  do  what 
God  commands  me.  The  various  calls  to  do  our  duty, — 
to  believe, — to  repent, — to  grow  in  grace — do  all  imply  that 
I  have  a  power,  and  capacity  to  follow  Christ  in  the  rege- 
neration. But  these  are,  by  no  means,  the  fruit  of  my  na- 
ural  powers,  or  exertions.     It  is  a  disposition,  and  capacity 

25* 


290  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

conveyed  to  my  soul,  in  spirituaJ  life,  by  the  gracious  act  of 
the  Holy  Ghost's  regenerating  power.  From  him  proceeds 
all  life.  And  the  same  texts  of  his  holy  word,  which  declare 
the  possession  of  that  capacity,  and  strength,  do  also  declare 
emphatically,  that  they  are  wholly  of  the  grace  of  God. 
The  Holy  Spirit  does  so  watch  over  the  entire  accomplish- 
ment of  the  scheme  of  our  redemption,  that  not  one  of  all  the 
jewels  of  his  crown  shall  be  alienated  from  him  :  and  that 
man's  pride  shall  be  levelled  to  the  dust  of  abasement. 
Listen,  my  soul,  to  his  divine  words.  "  They  that  wait  on 
the  Lord,  will  renew  their  strength."  "Ye  walk  worthy  of 
the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing, — ^being  strengthened  with  all 
might,  according  to  his  glorious  power."  And  what  can  be 
surer  than  his  promise  :  "In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness 
and  STRENGTH."  "  We  are  strengthened  with  might  by  his 
Spirit  in  the  inner  man."  We  can  even  exult  and  say,  in 
view  of  our  ever  present  Saviour,-"  I  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  me."  For  all  encounters, — and 
for  all  duties,  "  we  are  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
of  his  might."  For  "  the  God  of  peace,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  makes  us  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  his 
will."* 

Thanks  be  to  my  God,  for  all  his  gifts.  Thanks  to  thee 
that  thou  hast  given  us  this  will,  this  disposition,  this  power 
to  do  the  holy  acts  of  a  christian  life.  Vouchsafe,  then, 
O  divine  author  of  this  spiritual  life,  that  grace  which  will 
cherish  and  preserve  it  in  my  soul.  Let  me  watch  dili- 
gently, lest  I  permit  it  to  be  wounded  by  temptation,  or 
marred  and  weakened  by  the  violence  of  indwelling  sin. 
And  let  me  apply  myself  with  all  diligence  to  the  strength- 
ening and  maturing  of  this  life,  by  the  habitual  exercise 
of  its  powers,  and  capacities. 

And  having  thus  received  "  strength  for  holiness,"  my 

*  Isai.  xl.  31.  Col.  i.  10,  11.  Isai.  xlv.  24.  Eph.  iii.  16.  Phil.  iv. 
13.    Eph.  vi.  10.  and  Heb.  xiii.  20,  21. 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  291 

soul  shall  labour  with  patient  perseverance,  to  exterminate 
all  criminal  desires,  and  vicious  propensities  ;  all  unholy 
affections  ;  all  unruly  passions  ;  all  ungodliness,  and  world- 
ly lusts ;  all  rebellious  thoughts,  and  vain  imaginations  ; 
that  I  may  be  found  in  a  course  of  dutiful  obedience  to  all  the 
commands,  and  ordinances  of  my  Lord  and  Master  Christ ; 
as  is  befitting  one  who  professes  to  be  "  crucified  to  the 
flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts  ;"  and  to  be  "  cleansed 
from  all  the  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit."  So  help  me, 
O  my  God,  to  redeem  my  vow  ! 

A  PRAYER. 
Blessed  be  thy  name,  holy  and  merciful  God,  for  the  gra- 
cious mission  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  My  soul  was  found  of 
thee  in  a  deplorable  state.  But,  thou  didst  not  abhor  me. 
Thou  didst  mercifully  lift  the  poor  outcast,  from  the  fearful 
pit,  and  from  the  miry  clay.  It  was  thy  sovereign  grace, 
O  eternd  spirit  of  holiness ! — even  thy  rich  grace  that 
moved  thee  to  this  work  of  love.  0  height,  and  depth 
of  the  love  of  God  !  As  often  as  I  look  on  this  unexpected 
visitation  of  love,  my  heart  rejoices,  and  exults  in  God  my 
Saviour,  and  Sanctifier.  O  the  unspeakable  joy,  and  plea- 
sure of  beholding  thee,  through  the  lattice  of  thine  ordi- 
nances !*  What  must  it  be  to  know  thee,  and  see  thee  in 
the  glory  of  heaven  !  O  the  divine  pleasure  of  believing 
in  thee,  my  Redeemer  !  How  sweet  the  joys  of  loving 
thee !  How  delicious  the  hope  of  meeting  thee,  to  part  no 
more  !  And,  oh  !  what  then  must  it  be,  to  be  with  thee,  in 
the  full  vision  of  thy  glory, — to  be  for  ever  with  thee,  my 
God,  and  for  ever  in  the  family  of  the  ransomed  and  holy 
ones !  I  do  heartily  bless  thee,  0  God,  that  ever  I  was 
born  :  and  born  to  such  an  inheritance.  I  will  adore  thee, 
0  Jehovah,  my  righteousness,  and  strength,  for  ever  and 
ever! 

*  Song  of  Sol.  ii.  9. 


292  OF    SA>;CTIFICATION. 

0  God  !  thou  art  my  God  ;  early  will  I  seek  thee  :  my 
soul  thirsteth  for  thee  ;  my  flesh  longs  for  thee  in  a  dry  and 
thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is.  As  the  hart  panteth  after 
the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  0  God,  my 
God  !  I  long  to  behold  the  light  and  love  of  thy  face,  un- 
clouded, uninterrupted.  Mercifully  deign  to  illumine  me 
more,  each  day.  I  long  to  bathe  in  the  fountain  of  purity 
and  life ;  that  I  may  stand  pure,  before  thee.  I  long  to 
have  my  soul  more  and  more  conformed  to  thy  law  ;  and 
the  divine  model,  and  pattern  of  my  sanctification. 

Thou  givest  strength  to  him  that  is  weak  ;  even  strength 
along  with  the  gift  of  purity,  and  holiness.  Be  it  even  so 
to  me,  O  Lord,  according  to  thy  word.  Hong  to  commune 
with  thee,  my  God,  in  the  light  of  thy  presence  ;  disentan- 
gled, and  free  from  the  snares,  and  distractions  of  sin. 
Oh  !  for  the  unction  of  the  Holy  One  ;  that  I  may  know 
all  things ;  and  be  consecrated  to  thee.  0  Lord,  let  my 
heart  be  lifted  up,  above  all  my  foes,  and  thy  foes.  Let  it 
be  wholly  thine ;  and  without  a  rival.  For  Thou,  0  my 
God,  art  my  life,  my  portion  on  earth,  and  my  inheritance 
in  heaven. 

Work,  then,  0  Lord,  of  thy  goodness,  all  thy  work  in 
me.  Fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of  thy  goodness  ;  and  the 
work  of  faith  with  power :  that  the  name  of  my  Blessed 
Redeemer  may  be  glorified  in  me  ;  and  I  in  him  ;  accord- 
ing to  the  grace  of  our  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — 2 
Thes.  i.  11,  12. 

And,  0  my  Blessed  Redeemer  !  and  thou  Holy  Spirit ! 
whom  I  humbly  adore  and  love, — strengthen,  and  confirm 
every  grace  in  this  humbled,  and  prostrate  soul.  Root  out, 
I  beseech  thee,  O  Holy  Spirit !  every  evil  desire  ;  every 
earthly  passion ;  every  impure  affection.  Overturn  the 
dearest  idol,  to  which  my  soul  clings  with  idolatrous  affec- 
tion :  and  utterly  destroy  in  me,  all  lusts,  and  all  covetous- 
ness,   which  is  idolatry.     Most  Holy  One  !  make  me  holy 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  293 

as  thou  art  holy.  Give  me  the  reality  of  thy  holiness ;  and 
let  the  perfection  of  it  in  degree,  await  me,  in  my  home  in 
heaven.  Deign  then,  O  Holy  Spirit,  to  make  me  thy  tem- 
ple. Enter  in,  and  take  possession  of  the  habitation  of  thy 
own  creating !  Illumine  it  with  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
And  do  thou,  as  the  Spirit  of  judgment  and  of  burning, 
utterly  consume  every  evil  propensity  ;  and  destroy  even 
the  inclination  to  sin.  This  will  be  done,  blessed  be  thy 
name.  It  will  be  done,  sooner  or  later.  I  rejoice  in  the 
assurance.  Rule  thou,  then,  0  Lord,  on  this  thy  throne,  in 
this  thy  own  temple.  Overthrow  the  influence  of  all  these 
strong  constitutional  sins  :  and  of  all  these  foes,  which  assail 
me  by  their  means.  Arm  my  soul  against  the  various 
temptations,  put  forth  to  entice  my  heart  away  from  thee  ; 
and  my  feet  from  thy  commandments.  In  due  time,  put 
Satan  under  my  feet.  And,  0  thou  conqueror  of  death, 
overcome  in  me  the  fears  of  death.  And  when  it  comes, 
may  it  find  me  clothed  in  the  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness  ; 
having  the  white  stone  ;  and  the  new  name  ;  and  sitting  at 
my  Redeemer's  feet ;  and  ready  to  pass  with  him, — leaning 
on  his  arm  of  love  and  power,  while  I  pass  through  the 
Jordan  of  death,  into  thy  Canaan  above. 

And  while  life  continues,  may  I  follow  thee  in  the  path  of 
duty  with  fidelity  ;  and,  in  all  my  sufferings,  with  patience. 
I  here  humbly  renew  my  vow  of  self-dedication,  to  thee.  I 
lay  this  living  sacrifice,  holy  and  accepted,  in  Christ,  on 
Him,  our  New  Testament  altar.  0  God,  graciously  accept 
the  offering.  And  grant  me  an  enlargement  of  grace  ;  and 
the  divine  quickening  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then  shall  I 
joyfully  fulfil  my  vows  ;  and  serve  thee  with  all  my  heart, 
and  with  all  my  soul,  and  with  all  my  strength ;  and  with 
all  my  mind. 

In  every  duty  of  holy  life,  may  I  be  found  humbly  and 
assiduously  employed.  Pour  out  upon  me  the  spirit  of 
watchfulness  and  prayer ;  and  help  me  ever  to  mingle  a  pure 


294  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

and  ardent  devotion,  with  all  the  active  services  of  life. 
Oh  !  for  grace  and  strength,  to  follow  the  Lord  Jesus,  as 
my  perfect  model ;  in  my  efforts  at  carrying  out  all  the 
graces  of  the  new  creature,  into  an  active  christian  life. 
Oh  !  for  his  purity  of  heart.  Oh !  for  that  meekness,  and 
humility,  which  adorned  him.  Oh  !  to  be  like  him,  in  his 
patience,  and  self-possession,  and  triumph,  in  the  hours  of 
temptation  I  When  he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again  : 
when  reproached,  he  cursed  not.  Grant  me,  0  God,  such 
a  divine  state  of  mind,  and  heart,  and  life.  Oh !  for  his 
spirit  of  fervent  prayer,  and  habitual  devotion.  Oh  !  for  his 
simple,  sincere,  and  unaffected  submission  to  his  Heavenly 
Father,  in  all  things.  Oh  !  to  have  my  will  swallowed  up 
in  his  divine  will.  And  in  order  to  reach  forth  to  this,  re- 
move every  weight,  and  the  sins  which  easily  beset  me  :  that 
I  may  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  Grant  me  these 
divine  favours,  0  Lord  God  !  for  his  sake,  who  ransomed 
us,  and  washed  us  in  his  own  blood.  And  glory  shall  be 
thine  in  Christ,  for  ever.     Amen. 

A  PRAYER  SUITED  TO  ANOTHER  CLASS; 

0  God,  look  down  in  compassion  upon  me.  I  am  sore- 
ly beset  with  temptation,  and  am  ready  to  fall.  0  my  God ! 
send  forth  thy  light  and  thy  truth  ;  let  them  lead,  and  guide 
me  to  thy  holy  presence.  Oh  !  for  a  time  of  refreshing 
from  thy  life-reviving  presence.  Strengthen  me  with  all 
might  in  the  inner  man.  In  every  trial  and  sore  tempta- 
tion, I  am  cheered  with  thy  promise.  0  faithful  God  !  thou 
wilt  not  leave  me  to  the  will  of  my  enemies.  And  nothing 
is  more  clearly  promised  us  than  final  victory,  infallibly. 
Thou  wilt  make  us  more  than  conquerors.  Through  thy 
grace  let  this  stimulate  me  to  a  higher  degree  of  steadfast 
obedience.  And,  being  assured  of  victory,  may  I  become 
more  active  in  my  christian  course  :  and  immoveably  fixed 
in  thy  love,  and  the  stability  of  my  profession.     O  most  de- 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  295 

licious  joy,  from  such  an  assurance.  We  shall  reign  with 
Christ  upon  his  throne :  the  last  enemy  being  destroyed. 
What  a  contrast  with  my  present  condition  !  Who  can 
conceive  the  joys  of  being  free  from  all  doubts,  all  fears, 
all  misgivings.  Let  me  lift  my  head  in  the  midst  of  all  my 
foes.    Let  me  rejoice  in  God  my  Saviour. 

And  grant  me,  0  Lord,  grace  to  hold  out,  and  persevere  in 
holy  resolutions.  May  I  never  yield  aught  to  the  foe.  Let 
me  anxiously  guard  against  every  act,  or  word  that  may 
bring  dishonour  on  thy  cause  ;  or  grieve  thee,  0  divine 
spirit  of  holiness  !  Let  me  never  be  so  far  left  to  myself  as 
to  do  aught  willingly,  that  would  grieve  thy  people  ;  or  give 
occasion  to  the  enemy  to  blaspheme.  0  !  deliver  my  soul 
from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet  from  falling. 

Li  the  business,  and  tumults  of  life,  I  am  very  apt  to  for- 
get thee,  my  God.  I  tremble  at  the  possibility  of  my  fall- 
ing into  a  cold  and  languid  condition :  and  restraining 
prayer,  and  casting  off  fear, — and  perhaps  of  even  falling 
away  from  my  profession, — and  of  falling,  perhaps,  too,  into 
crimes, — a  backslider, — an  apostate  ! 

I  beseech  thee,  0  God  of  faithfulness  and  divine  com- 
passion! guard  me,  and  guide  me  continually.  0  keep  me 
ever  under  thy  watchful  eye  ;  and  let  my  eyes  ever  be  on 
thee,  for  direction,  and  for  strength.  Arm  me  against  all 
fiery  trials.  Oh  !  for  grace  to  resist  the  first  approach  of 
the  tempter  ;  and  to  shun  even  the  appearance  of  evil.  Heal 
my  soul,  0  Lord  !  of  every  malady  of  sin.  Strengthen  in 
me  what  is  weak :  confirm  me  in  thy  ways  ;  and  put  an  end  to 
every  disposition  to  waver  and  doubt.  0  !  make  me  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  thy  might.  Then  shall  I  not 
backslide  ;  but  I  shall  run  with  joyfulness  in  thy  ways  of 
holiness. 

When  I  look  back  upon  the  past,  I  have  much  to  fear. 
But  from  thee,  0  God  !  comes  my  pardon.  When  I  look 
forward  into  the  future,  O  my  God  !  thou  art  all  my  hope. 


296  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

0  !  guide  me,  and  guard  me.  0  !  give  me  not  up  to  the  will 
of  those  who  hate  my  soul.  Am  I  not,  0  my  blessed  Re- 
deemer !  in  thy  new  and  living  way  ?  Do  I  not  love  thee,  0 
my  Saviour  ?  Wilt  thou  ever  give  up  the  work  of  thy  own 
hands  1     0  no,  thou  wilt  never, — no,  never  leave  me  ! 

My  poor,  weak,  doubting  heart,  in  its  wavering  faith, 
often  forgets  thee  ;  often  loses  sight  of  thee  in  the  midst  of 
sinful  infirmities,  and  sad  delinquencies.  But  thou,  O 
Lord  !  never  forgettest  me.  I  rejoice  at  thy  promise  of  this, 
which  is  sure  and  steadfast :  while  I  am  mortified  at  the 
weakness  of  my  faith,  and  my  ever  intruding  doubts,  and 
suspicions,  and  jealousies. 

When  I  am  overtaken  with  afl^ictions,  and  thrown  into 
the  fiery  furnace.  Oh  !  let  it  be  for  thy  sake,  0  Lord  ;  and 
not  for  any  misdoings  of  my  own.  When  I  sufi*er,  may  I 
suflfer  as  a  Christian.  Let  me  have  a  pure  conscience.  0  ! 
let  me  never  have  the  experience  of  an  evil  one  to  add  fuel 
to  the  flames.  And,  in  the  hot  furnace,  O  thou  Son  of  God 
my  Redeemer !  let  me  see  thee,  and  feel  thy  presence  while 
thou  walkest  with  me  there.  Without  thee,  oh  !  what  can 
comfort  me, — what  can  satisfy  the  unhappy,  and  craving 
soul !  With  thee  near  me,  as  I  lean  on  thy  arm,  I  will  fear 
no  evil, — no,  not  even  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death  itself.  Thy  frown  is  terrific  :  thy  anger, — who  can 
endure  it !  But,  0  my  God  !  thy  gracious  smiles  spread 
abroad  the  joys  of  heaven  in  the  soul,  even  in  a  howling 
wilderness  ; — even  in  the  fiery  furnace  ! 

Thanks  to  thy  divine  wisdom  that  thou  makest  fiery  trials 
to  promote  our  sanctification.  May  I  feel  the  purifying 
power  of  these  means.  While  they  disentangle  me  more 
and  more  from  a  world,  which  can  be  no  portion  to  my 
soul,  may  I  rise  up,  and  flee  from  its  snares,  its  follies,  its 
sins  ;  and  may  I  cleave  closer  to  thee,  my  God,  than  ever. 
And,  feeling  that  sin  causes  the  hidings  of  thy  face,  0  !  may 

1  abhor  it  with  a  perfect  hatred.     It  brings  on  me  all  my 


OF    SANCTIFICATION.  297 

bodily  pains  ;  all  my  sorrows  of  mind  ;  it  Hailed  my  Savi- 
our to  the  cursed  tree.  Oh !  I  hate  it ;  I  abhor  it ;  I  fly 
from  it.  0  for  more  holiness  of  heart  and  life.  0  for  a 
heart  to  pray  with  more  of  the  spirit  and  ardour  of  devotion. 

0  for  the  zeal,  and  ardent  devotion  of  Israel :  that,  like  him, 

1  may  wrestle  with  my  God,  with  strong  crying  and  tears  ; 
and,  like  him,  prevail.  And,  0  my  Redeemer  !  why  not  ? 
May  not  even  such  as  I,  so  wrestle  and  so  prevail  ?  It 
was  through  thy  strength,  Lord  Jesus,  that  he  prevailed. 
And  thou, — thou,  O  my  Redeemer !  art  still  as  near  to  us, 
and  as  full  of  love,  and  mercy,  and  as  faithful  to  hear  us  as 
ever.  Oh !  then  hear  me,  and  perfect  thy  work  of  grace  in 
me,  that  in  due  time,  I  may,  in  the  perfection  of  holiness, 
praise  thy  boundless  love,  and  faithfulness,  and  enjoy  thee  in 
the  land  of  perfection,  and  glory  above. 

And,  my  bountiful  God,  what  can  I  render  to  thee  for 
all  these  benefits  ! — I  look  up  to  the  mountains  of  holiness, 
and  glory.  I  rejoice, — I  exult  with  joy  at  the  prospect  of 
reaching  that  land,  and  that  palace  of  my  heavenly  Father. 
Land  of  eternal  beauty  and  holiness  !  Land  of  glory  im- 
maculate, ever  shining,  without  the  interruption  of  night ; 
brighter  and  brighter  ;  ever  beaming  from  the  throne  of 
God,  and  the  Lamb.  What  new  and  ravishing  views  ! 
What  new  and  delicious  sensations !  What  transports ! 
What  new  pleasures  !  What  boundless  bliss  !  These  are 
the  joys  of  thy  divine  presence  !  These  are  the  fruits  of  an 
entire  deliverance  from  sin !  These  are  the  issues  of  per- 
fection in  glory ! 

Now,  hear  me,  O  Lord,  and  answer  me.  And  glory 
shall  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  eternal  Son,  and  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  :  Amen. 


26 


298  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

ANOTHER  PIttiYER,  FOR  ANOTHER  CLASS  OF  YOUNG 
CHRISTIANS. 

O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  look  down  upon  one  of  thy  poor 
feeble  and  fainting  children.  May  I  venture  to  call  thee, 
Father?  Abba,  Father!  have  compassion  on  me,  accord- 
ing to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies. — This  coldness 
of  my  love  ;  this  languor  of  my  affections  ;  this  feebleness 
of  faith  ;  this  averseness  to  daily  duty,  and  penitence,  alarm 
me.  And  justly  ought  I  to  be  alarmed.  And  yet,  even  in 
my  alarms,  my  unsettled  spirit  wavers,  and  halts  between 
thee,  and  the  world.  When  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present 
with  me.  I  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual;  but  I  am  carnal, 
— yea,  woe's  me,  I  am  sensual,  sold  under  sin.  That  which 
I  do,  I  allow  not ;  but,  then  again,  what  I  would,  that  I  do 
not :  and  what  I  hate,  that  I  do  !  "I  feel  in  me,  as  it  were, 
a  double  will :  this  new  will,  which  had  begun  in  me,  where- 
by I  could  love  thee,  and  enjoy  thee,  0  God,  my  only  chief 
joy, — ^has  not  yet  been  able  to  overcome  with  due  steadiness, 
my  former  and  fleshly  will ;  so  deeply  rooted  has  it  been  in 
evil  habits.  It  is  even  so,  O  Lord.  I  feel  how  the  flesh  lust- 
eth  against  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh.  O 
Lord,  I  was,  myself,  on  both  sides ;  but  I  must  confess  with 
shame,  that  I  am  more  in  that  which  I  approved  in  myself ; 
than  in  that  which  T  condemned  in  myself.  Truly  I  am  more 
in  that  which  I  condemn  ;  because,  for  the  most  part,  I  suf- 
fer unwillingly,  what  I  willingly  did."* 

O  Lord,  if  I  am  indeed  thine,  why  is  it  thus,  with  me? 
If  Jesus  be  mine,  and  I  am  his,  0  why  is  my  devotion  so  lan- 
guid 1  Why  is  my  love  so  cold  1  Why  is  my  will  so  dis- 
tracted, and  so  easily  drawn  away  from  thee  ?  Quicken  me, 
0  Lord,  that  I  may  hasten  to  keep  all  thy  commands.  Open 
up  thy  word  to  me,  0  Lord  ;  and  let  the  entrance,  thereof, 
give  light  ;  and  scatter  this  dreary  darkness,  that  has  rested 

*  St.  Augustin.  de  Contrit.  Cord.  Lib.  8.  Cap.  5. 


OP    SANCTIFICATION.  299 

SO  long  on  my  poor  distracted  spirit.  Oh !  shed  abroad  the 
love  of  Jesus  in  my  heart.  Let  its  ardour  inflame  my  zeal ; 
and  quicken  the  new  life  in  me ;  and  rouse  up  every  power 
of  my  nature  into  a  new  course  of  devotion,  zeal,  and  holy 
obedience. 

And  free  me,  0  Lord,  from  those  enemies  which  now,  of  a 
long  time,  have  pressed  on  me  with  all  the  urgency  of  their 
temptations.  I  have  no  power,  nor  might  in  me,  to  over- 
come them.  But  thou  art  my  strength,  as  well  as  my  right- 
eousness. From  thee  thy  children  have  all  supplies  to  over- 
come the  enemy.  Through  Christ  strengthening  me,  I  can 
do  all  things.  Oh  !  grant  me  this  needful  supply.  Out  of  the 
depths  do  I  cry  unto  thee.  O  my  God,  hear  my  humble  sup- 
plication. Answer  me  speedily.  And  let  the  ransomed  cap- 
tive leap  from  his  chains,  and  sing  aloud  for  joy. 

Let  my  distracted  heart — too  long,  alas!  drawn  into  oppo- 
site courses  by  conflicting  principles — be  subdued,  and  follow 
hard  after  thee.  Let  peace  once  more  reign  in  my  tran- 
quilized  bosom.  Let  hope  resume  her  joyful  and  cheering 
reign  in  my  heart.  0  for  the  fresh  manifestation  of  my 
heavenly  Father's  love.  That  love  will  kindle  love  in  me. 
That  will  silence  my  foes  ;  and  restore  me  the  joys  of  thy 
salvation  :  that  will  put  a  new  sing  in  my  lips,  and  I  will 
praise  thee,  0  God,  my  God,  with  exceeding  joy. 

And,  surely,  my  dear  and  blessed  Redeemer,  thou  wilt 
not  forsake  the  work  of  thine  own  hands.  Am  I  not  thy 
workmanship,  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus  ?  Am  I  not 
thy  child ; — prodigal  as  I  was — yet  didst  not  thou  bring  me 
home ;  and  take  me  to  thy  paternal  bosom  1  0  God,  may 
I  not,  then,  call  thee  My  Father  ? 

In  the  former  sunny  hours  of  an  unclouded  heaven, — and 
during  my  first  love, — I  beheld  the  face  of  my  dear  Redeemer. 
I  knew  him.  I  felt  his  presence.  I  knew  he  was  near  me. 
And  1  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour.  But,  a  dark  cloud  has 
been  overwhelming  me.     I  have  been  walking  in  darkness  : 


300  OF    SANCTIFICATION. 

yet  struggling  to  break  through  the  cloud,  and  regain  the 
vision  of  thy  gracious  face.  Oh  !  let  these  sweet  days  re- 
turn in  the  revival  of  the  freshness  of  former  love  and  joys. 
And,  Oh  !  never, — never  may  I  fall  again  into  such  bewil- 
dering darkness.  0  blessed  Sun  of  light,  and  life,  and  all 
my  joys,  keep  me  ever  near  thee  !  May  I  lean  on  thine  arm, 
and  recline  on  thy  bosom  in  joyful  communion,  0  my  Re- 
deemer !  Henceforth  let  thy  constraining  love  make  my 
whole  soul,  and  heart  wholly,  and  for  ever  thine.  Oh !  to  be 
thine,  and  to  have  the  transporting  assurance  that  I  am  thine, 
wholly  and  for  ever  ! 

And  I  long  to  glorify  thee  in  the  duties,  and  business  of 
active  life.  May  I  glorify  thee,  by  the  clear  evidence  that 
pure  religion  and  undefiled,  makes  Christians  better  citizens, 
and  better  prepared,  every  way,  for  every  good  word  and  work. 
For  this  purpose,  0  Lord,  grant  me  "  that  wisdom  that  is 
from  above  ;  which  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and 
easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy,  and  good  fruits,  without 
partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy."  Then  shall  I  have  my 
conversation  in  the  world,  with  "  simplicity  ;  and  godly  sin- 
cerity ;  not  with  fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God." 

And  mine  eyes,  I  trust,  shall  be  ever  upon  thee,  0  blessed 
Redeemer ;  watching  for  thy  coming.  Oh  !  glorify  thyself 
by  making  me  fully  ready  to  welcome  thee,  at  thy  coming. 
And  grant  me  this  favour,  O  gracious  and  indulgent  Father, 
that  my  setting  sun  may  be  in  all  the  sweetness,  and  gentle- 
ness of  the  summer's  eve;  not  in  clouds,  nor  in  storms.  0 
let  all  these  be  swept  away,  come  whenever  this  day  may. 
And  let  serenity,  and  peace  reign  in  my  bosom.  Then,  O 
my  God,  crown  the  work  of  thy  own  hands — crown  the  work 
of  my  sanctification,  with  a  joyful,  and  triumphant  death. 
And  glory  shall  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Eternal  Son, 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever  :  Our  Father  who 
art  in  heaven,  &c.  Amen. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


OP    THE    STATE,    AND    BENEFITS    OF    THE    SOULS    OF    BE- 
LIEVERS   AT    THEIR    DEATH. 

"  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me,  what  are  these 
which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ;  and  whence  came  they  1 

And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest. 

And  he  said  unto  me,  — These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of 
God,  and  serve  him  day,  and  night,  in  his  temple.  And  he  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne,  shall  dwell  among  them, — For  the  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead 
them  unto  living  fountains  of  water.  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes,"    Rev.  vii.  13 — 17* 

Various  opinions  have  been  entertained  on  this  point- 
Passing  by  the  fictions  of  Pagans^  Jews,  and  Romanists, 
we  would  observe,  that  in  primitive  times,  an  opinion  gain- 
ed ground  among  some,  that  the  soul  did,  indeed,  enter 
immediately  into  heaven,  in  full  perfection  of  glory ;  but 
that  there  was  no  resurrection  of  the  dead !  Another  class 
held  that  the  soul  remained  in  a  state  of  insensibility  to 
pain,  or  happiness,  from  the  time  of  death,  to  the  last  day ; 
when  it  was  raised,  along  with  the  body !  This  opinion 
was  revived  in  the  days  of  the  Reformers,  and  latterly  by 

26* 


302  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

Dr.  Law,  bishop  of  Carlisle,  England.     Dr.  Campbell  has 
refuted  him.* 

Another  class  advocates  not  only  an  intermediate  state  ; 
but  an  intermediate  place.  They  were  drawn,  evidently, 
into  an  opposite  extreme,  by  the  rash  error  of  those  men- 
tioned above,  who  admitted  the  entrance  of  the  soul  into 
heaven,  at  death  ;  but  rejected  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 
To  gain  an  advantage  over  these,  the  advocates  of  an  inter- 
mediate place,  resolved  to  maintain  that  the  soul  could  not, 
in  a  state  of  separation  from  the  body,  attain  glory,  and  fe- 
licity in  heaven.  The  body  was  indispensable  to  this. 
And,  thus,  as  the  venerable  John  How  remarked, — "  They 
let  go  one  important  truth,  to  hold  another  the  faster  :  they 
ransom  one  doctrine  at  the  too  dear,  and  unnecessary  ex- 
pense, and  sacrifice  of  another."! 

In  this  theory,  we  meet  with  a  double  error. 

First :  That  the  soul  does  not  arrive  at  perfect  holiness 
at  death.  Second:  that  it  does  not  enter  immediately  into 
heaven  :  but  is  "  in  a  prison," — "  in  the  lower  parts  of  the 
earth  ;" — "  in  a  place  out  of  heaven," — "  and  apart  from  the 
mansions  of  glory."  And,  jinally,  "  that  place  is  Paradise, 
which  is  not  heaven." 

On  the  contrary,  we  believe,  and  publicly  avouch,  in 
harmony  with  the  creed  of  all  the  branches  of  the  Reformed 
churches,  these  two  pure,  and  most  consoling  doctrines  of 
the  Holy  Bible : — First :  that  the  souls  of  believers,  at 
death,  are  made  perfect  in  holiness.  Second :  that  they 
enter  immediately  after  death,  into  glory  in  heaven. 

First  : — They  are  made  perfect  in  holiness  at  death. 
This  is  the  doctrine  taught  in  the  standards  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church.  "  Our  death  is  not  a  satisfaction  for  sin  ;  but 
only  an  abolishing  of  sin  !"t 

♦  Campbell's  New  Transl.  of  the  Four  Gospels,  vol.  i.  p.  314,  &c. 
t  How's  Works,  New-York  Edit.  p.  223,  Note. 
t   Heidelb.  Catech.  Quest.  42. 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  303 

It  is  the  decided  belief  of  all  the  sections  of  the  venera- 
ble Presbyterian  Churches,  who  all  adhere  to  the  Westmin- 
ster Confession  of  Faith,  and  Catechisms.  I  shall  give  a 
single  quotation. — In  their  admirable  catechism,  we  find 
this, — "  The  souls  of  believers  are,  at  their  death,  made 
perfect  in  holiness." 

It  is  the  avowed  doctrine  in  the  standards  of  the  Episco- 
pal Church.  I  shall  quote  one  sentence  from  the  Burial 
Service, — "  Almighty  God !  with  whom  do  live  the  spirits 
of  those  who  depart  in  the  Lord  :  and  with  whom  the  souls 
of  the  faithful,  after  they  are  delivered  from  the  burden  of 
the  flesh,  are  in  joy,"  &c.  Here  it  is  truly,  and  most  faith- 
fully taught  that  the  souls  of  the  departed  are  <^  de- 
livered from  the  burden  of  the  flesh."  No  man  will 
violate  fair  criticism,  by  supposing  that  by  the  flesh,  any 
thing  else  is  meant  than  that  expressed  by  the  apostle  Paul : 
namely,  corruption,  and  the  remains  of  indwelling  sin. 
See  Romans,  viii.  4,  5,  8,  13. 

And  we  have  the  testimony  of  no  less  a  witness  than  the 
learned  Bishop  Bull  to  the  fact  that  this  was  held  by  the 
Church  in  all  times.  Here  are  his  words  : — "  I  do  affirm 
the  consentient,  and  constant  doctrine  of  the  primitive 
Church  to  be  this  :  that  the  souls  of  all  the  faithful,  immediate- 
ly after  death,  enter  into  a  place  and  state  of  bliss,  far  ex- 
ceeding all  the  felicities  of  this  world ;  though  far  short  of 
that  most  consummate,  perfect  beatitude  of  heaven,  with 
which  they  are  to  be  crowned  and  rewarded  in  the  resur- 
rection."* He  goes  on  to  show  that  the  doom  of  the  wick- 
ed takes  place  at  their  death  also. 

This  is  our  doctrine,  and  that  of  the  Holy  Bible.  I  beg 
attention  to  the  following  evidence.  Speaking  of  the  death 
of  saints, — ^Isaiah  says, — "  the  righteous  are  taken  away 
from  the  evil."    The  words  "  to  come,"  are  not  in  the  He- 

♦  Serm.  On  the  Middle  State. 


304  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

brew ;  and  they  are  noted,  accordingly,  in  Italics  by  the 
translators.  Hence,  they  are  taken  away  from  the  evil  of 
sin,  and  of  suffering. 

At  our  Lord's  transfiguration,  two  of  the  departed  saints  ap- 
peared with  him  perfect  in  holiness.  "  Moses  and  Elias  ap- 
peared with  him  in  glory."  Hence  they  were  free  from  sin.  I 
take  this  in  connection  with  Hebrews  xii.  23.  Departed 
souls  are  there  declared  to  be  "the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect."  And  we  have  the  divine  testimony,  that  "  God  is 
not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living  ;  for  all  live 
unto  him."  Luke  xx.  38.  Now,  it  is  inconceivable  how 
"  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,"  do  live  unto  God, 
and  with  God,  if  they  are  not  perfect  in  holiness.  "  For 
evil  shall  not  dwell  in  his  presence." 

Finally  :  John  beheld  in  vision,  the  saints  in  their  glory, 
with  the  angels  around  the  throne.  "  They  had  washed 
their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 
And,  rehearsing  the  song  which  they  sang,  he  declares,  by 
the  spirit  of  inspiration,  that  "  they  have  no  guile ;"  and 
they  "are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God." 
Rev.  xiv.  5. 

And  there  is  another  point  worthy  of  notice.  Those 
who  deny  all  this,  and  advocate  the  intermediate  place,  put 
themselves  in  a  serious  dilemma.  If  the  saints  go  into  an 
"  intermediate  place,"  not  "  perfect  in  holiness," — then  one 
of  two  things  must  follow  : — First  :  If  left  to  themselves, 
without  any  means  to  purify  them  from  the  sins  which,  they 
say,  do  accompany  them  ;  then,  inasmuch  as  sin  is  never 
stationary;  but  always  "waxes  worse  and  worse;"  as  is 
perfectly  evident  from  universal  experience, — what  must  be 
the  state  of  accumulating  guilt,  and  pollution  of  those 
"  sinful  saints,"  by  the  time  they  reach  the  judgment-seat 
of  God.  This  deserves  grave  consideration.  To  their 
doctrine  it  exhibits  an  insuperable  objection. 

But,  second  :    If  those  who  depart,  not  perfect  in  holi- 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  305 

ness,  have,  in  "this  intermediate  place,"  the  means  of 
cleansing  themselves  from  sin, — then  this  must  be,  after  all, 
nothing  else  than  the  Purgatory  of  the  Roman  sect,  revived 
under  a  new  name  !  And  if  so,  it  must  be  right  and  pro- 
per to  pray  for  the  dead  !  But,  this  is  contrary  to  Scripture, 
and  the  creed  of  all  the  Reformed  Churches. 

Second  : — The  souls  of  believers  enter  immediately  into 
glory  with  Christ,  in  heaven. 

Here  I  must  introduce  a  remark  on  the  clear  and  specific 
language  of  divine  inspiration  ;  in  describing  what  is  be- 
yond the  grave.  In  the  Hebrew  of  the  Old  Testament,  the 
word  Sheol,  and  in  the  Greek  of  the  New,  Hades  are  inva- 
riably used  to  convey  the  idea  of  the  invisible  world.  All 
the  dead  have  passed  into  Sheol,  Hades, — the  invisible 
world.  In  this  place  there  is  Gehenna,  hell,  or  the  place 
of  eternal  punishment :  and  there  is  the  Ouranos,  the  heaven 
of  the  holy  and  happy. 

Now,  sometimes  in  speaking  of  the  deceased,  simply 
Sheol,  or  Hades  is  used.  Because  the  character  of  the  dead 
person  decides  whither  he  has  gone.  If  he  was  wicked,  he 
is  gone  to  Hades,  into  that  place  of  Hades  where  the  finally 
impenitent  are  punished.  Thus,  "the  rich  sinner  died  ;  and 
in  Hades,  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torment."  It  was 
not  necessary  to  specify  that  he  was  in  Gehenna.  It  was 
enough  to  state  the  fact  that  he  died  impenitent,  and  was  in 
Hades  ;  in  order  to  determine  where  he  was.  On  the  con- 
trary, if  he  was  a  good  man,  and  holy,  it  was  not  necessary 
to  detail  minutely  in  what  part  of  Hades  he  was.  It  did 
follow,  as  in  the  case  of  our  Redeemer,  that,  being  in 
Hades,  his  pure  soul  was,  of  course,  in  heaven. 

Now,  let  our  sentiments  be  here  distinctly  understood. 
We  admit  an  intermediate,  or  rather,  an  intervening 
STATE,  in  which  the  souls  of  all  believers  exist,  until  the  re- 
surrection. But  we  do  peremptorily  deny  that  there  is  any 
intermediate  place. 


306  CONDITION    OF    BE.LIEVERS 

The  souls  of  believers  certainly  pass  into  glory,  and  are 
with  Christ,  where  he  is,  in  true  and  eternal  glory.  But, 
then,  their  full  glory,  and  perfection  in  happiness,  are  not 
consummated  until  the  day  of  final  judgment.  This  is  the 
true  doctrine,  held  by  the  Church  in  all  past  times,  as  we 
have  shown  from  Bishop  Bull. 

The  Reformed  Dutch  Church  has  always  held  it.  "  Our 
death  is  an  abolishing  of  sin,  and  a  passage  into  eternal 
life."  "  My  soul,  after  this  life,  shall  be  immediately  taken 
up  to  Christ,  its  head."  "  After  this  life,  I  shall  inherit  per- 
fect salvation,  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard."* 
And  with  our  Church,  agree  the  German  Reformed,  the 
French,  and  Swiss  Churches. 

The  whole  of  the  different  sections  of  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  in  our  land,  and  in  Scotland,  teach  this  distinct- 
ly, in  their  standards.  I  shall  quote  one  single  testimony. 
In  their  admirable  catechism  they  teach, — "  The  souls  of 
believers  are,  at  their  death,  made  perfect  in  glory,  and   do 

IMMEDIATELY  PASS  INTO  GL0RY."| 

This  doctrine  is  also  distinctly  expressed  in  the  standards 
of  the  Episcopal  Church.  In  no  part  of  them  is  taught  the 
doctrine  of  an  "intermediate  place."  No  passage  favour- 
ing this  fiction  can  be  produced.  On  the  contrary,  I  shall 
quote  simply  one  sentence,  that  must  settle  the  point  with 
candid  men.  In  the  Burial  of  the  Dead,  we  have  these 
words, — "  Almighty  God,  with  whom  do  live  the  spirits  of 
those,  who  depart  hence,  in  the  Lord;  and  with  whom 
the  souls  of  the  faithful,  after  they  are  delivered  from  the  bur- 
den of  the  flesh,  are  in  joy,  and  felicity,"  &c.  This 
testimony  is  as  strong,  and  decisive  as  that  of  any  of  the 
other  branches  of  the  Reformed  Churches. 

I  now  direct  you  to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 

*  Heidelb.  Catech.  auest.  42.  57.  58. 

t  Cluest.  37,  Westminster  Shorter  Catechism. 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  307 

on  this  point.  Isaiah,  in  the  passage  already  quoted,  testi- 
fies that  the  righteous,  when  taken  away,  "  enter  into  peace." 
This  can  be  referred  only  to  their  souls.  "  They  rest  in 
their  beds," — that  is,  the  body  sleeps  in  the  night  of  the 
grave.  "  Each  one  walking  in  his  uprightness."  That 
can  be  referred  only  to  the  soul  in  its  departed  state 
of  activity,  and  enjoyment. 

When  "  the  body  returns  to  the  dust,"  the  spirit  returns 
to  God,  who  gave  it."  Eccles.  xii.  7.  "Elijah  and  Moses 
appeared  in  glory."  Luke  ix.  31.  Moses  is,  therefore, 
where  Elijah  is.  But,  Elijah  "was  taken  up  to  heaven." 
2  Kings,  ii.  1,  11.  Hence,  the  departed  soul  of  Moses  is 
now  in  heaven,  as  well  as  the  body  and  soul  of  Elijah. 

Again: — "We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this 
tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God  ;  an 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  2 
Cor.  V.  1.  Hence,  on  our  leaving  this  dissolving  taber- 
nacle of  the  body,  we  have, — it  does  not  say,  ive  shall  have, 
— ^but  we  have  an  eternal  house  of  habitation  in  heaven. 
We  have  it  from  the  moment  we  leave  this  world. 

Take,  in  connection  with  this,  the  strong  testimony  of  the 
apostle  in  another  place,  which  no  man  can  mistake.  To 
be  "  at  home  in  the  body,"  is  to  be  absent  from  the  Lord. 
"  And  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  is  to  be  present  with  the 
Lord."  2  Cor.  v.  6,  8.  Hence,  he  was  willing  "  to  de- 
part, and  to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."  It  is  quite 
manifest,  that,  if  he  did  not  fully  believe, — and  believe  it  as 
an  inspired  apostle — that  his  soul  'was,  at  death,  to  be  imme- 
diately home  in  heaven,  with  Christ,  it  would  not  have  been 
far  better  to  depart  from  the  peculiar  happiness  of  "  his 
days  of  heaven  upon  earth."     Philip,  i.  23. 

Hence,  it  follows  that,  as  certainly  as  the  soul  is  absent 
from  the  Lord,  while  at  home  in  the  body  ;  so  certainly,  is 
it  present  with  the  Lord,  when,  by  death,  it  is  absent  from 


308  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

the  body.     And,  hence,  also,  the  apostle  couples  our  *'  de- 
parture AT  DEATH,"  wlth  OUr  "  BEING  WITH  ChRIST." 

God  has  one  great  family  of  the  ransomed.  Paul  says, 
'*  Of  whom,"  that  is,  Jesus  Christ,  "  the  whole  family  in 
heaven,  and  earth  is  named."  Eph.  iii.  15.  Now,  he 
speaks  not  here  of  angels ;  but  of  that  whole  family  that  is 
named  after  Christ,  that  is.  Christians.  But,  this  "  whole 
family  is  in  heaven,  and  on  earth."  If,  then,  they  are  ab- 
sent from  the  earth,  they  must  be  in  the  family  of  heaven. 
For,  there  is  no  third  place,  where  a  third  division  of  this 
family  is.     They  are  "  in  heaven,  and  in  earth  "  only. 

In  connection  with  this  fact  of  their  being  "  present  with 
the  Lord,"  let  me  quote  the  following  : — "  Them  that  sleep 
in  Jesus,  God  will  bring  with  him."  "  Behold,  the  Lord 
Cometh  with  ten  thousand  saints  to  execute  judgment  on 
all."  Now,  is  it  not  quite  clear,  from  these  texts,  that  if 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  are  not  ^cithhim,  when 
he  descends  to  the  final  judgment,  it  could  not  with  any 
truth  be  said.  He  "  cometh  down  with  them,"  and  "  brings 
them  with  him."  It  is  very  true,  when  he  has  raised  their 
sleeping  bodies,  he  will  "  bring  them,"  in  soul  and  body, 
<«  with  him,"  when  he  returns  after  the  day  of  judgment.  But, 
when  it  is  said  that  "he  cometh  with  his  saints  to  judg- 
ment," it  can  with  no  propriety  be  said,  in  reference  to 
their  bodies.  And,  it  being  spoken  of  their  souls,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  they  must  have  been  with  him  in  heaven. 

"  I  heaid  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  write  :  blessed 
are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth.  Yea, 
saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labours,  and 
their  works  do  follow  them."  Rev.  xiv.  13.  Can  any 
language  express  more  plainly  than  this,  that  they  "  who 
die  in  the  Lord,"  are  "  blessed  from  henceforth," — that  is, 
from  this  instant,  even  from  the  very  moment  they  die  ?* 

♦  Schleusner,  on  the  word  apn^  observes,  that  when  it  is  construed 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  309 

If  any  doubt  yet  remains  in  the  mind  of  the  reader,  let  him 
carefully  read  Revel,  vii.  13 — 17,  in  connection  with  this 
clear  testimony. 

When  the  saints  depart  this  life,  "  they  are  carried  by  an- 
gels into  Abraham's  bosom."  Luke  xvi.  22.  This  is  an 
attractive  exhibition  of  heaven  under  the  figure  of  a  heaven- 
ly feast,  wherein  there  is,  at  once,  blessedness  enjoyed  both  in 
giving  and  receiving  happiness,  in  heaven's  purest  joy. 
It  is  manifest,  then,  that  Lazarus,  and  others  who  come  from 
the  four  winds,  to  "sit  down  with  him,"  must  be  where  he 
is.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  has  decided  where  he  is.  "  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  are  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
Matt.  viii.  11.  Now,  this  cannot  mean  the  branch  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  upon  earth.  It  is,  therefore,  in  the  kingr 
dom  of  heaven  above,  where  Christ  is.  Hence,  those  who 
are  with  Abraham,  are  in  heaven.  This  receives  additional 
force  from  the  following  verse.  Those  who  are  not  with 
Abraham,  are  "  in  outer  darkness,  where  are  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth." 

Finally  :  The  advocates  of  the  distressing  and  gloomy 
doctrine  of  the  soul  departing  in  sin,  into  an  intermediate 
place,  lay  the  greatest  stress,  nay,  indeed  the  main  stress  of 
their  defence,  on  the  assumption  that  paradise  is  not  hea- 
ven ;  but  "  a  place  out  of  heaven,"  and  "  apart  from  it,"  "  a 
prison  of  spirits."  To  this  "  prison  of  spirits,"  went  Christ 
at  death,  and  the  soul  of  the  penitent  thief. 

To  sustain  this,  they  call  in  the  motly  criticisms  on  2 
Cor.  xii.  2 — 4,  to  show  that  heaven  is  distinct  from  Para- 
dise. They  maintain  that  Paul  had  two  visions  :  that  in 
one  of  them  he  was  introduced  to  the  third  heavens  ;  and 
in  the  other,  into  paradise. 

This  is  mere  affirmation  without  proof.     They  were  the 

with  a  preposition,  ano,  as  in  the  text,  it  denotes  the  present  time,  even 
this  very  instant. 

27 


310  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

one,  and  same  vision  :  they  bear  the  one,  and  same  date, — 
"fourteen  years  ago."  He  speaks  of  nothing  he  heard,  or  saw 
different  from  paradise.  If  they  had  been  two  distinct  vi- 
sions, is  it  not  most  likely  that  in  "  the  third  heavens,"  he 
would  have  heard  "things  unspeakable  and  unutterable,"  ra- 
ther than  in  this  same  supposed  inferior  place  of  their's  call- 
ed Paradise  ?  On  the  contrary,  he  speaks  not  of  the  sights, 
nor  words,  until  he  had  stated  the  place  into  which  he  had, 
in  rapture,  been  caught  up.  Why,  then,  does  he  mention 
first  "  the  third  heavens,"  and  then  "  Paradise  ?"  I  answer, 
to  define  exactly  the  spot ;  just  as  the  Apostle  says  on  ano- 
ther occasion,  of  another  thing,  "  we  shall  be  caught  up  in 
the  clouds,"  "to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."  The  air  and 
the  place  of  the  clouds  is  the  same  place.  So  is  heaven 
and  Paradise.  And  I  applaud  the  remark  of  a  good  divine, 
that  the  Apostle  varies  the  expression  of  "  the  third  heavens," 
and  of  "  paradise,"  with  a  studied  design  to  refute  the  pre- 
vailing Jewish  fiction  in  his  time,  that  paradise  was  a  place 
distinct  from  heaven.*  As  if  he  had  said,  I  was,  four- 
teen years  ago,  caught  up  into  the  third  heavens, — ^yes,  I 
mean  to  say,  I  was  caught  up  into  paradise,  or  the  third 
heavens. 

But,  let  me  present  you  a  demonstration  on  this  point. 
Let  us  look  into  Rev.  xxii.  2,  &c.  Here  we  have  a  sweet 
and  divinely  consoling  exhibition  of  heaven,  which  follows 
the  description  of  the  general  judgment  in  the  preceding  con- 
text. Now,  take  notice,  that  in  the  midst  of  this  heaven, 
was  the  Tree  of  Life.  That  is,  Jesus  Christ,  the  one 
AND  ONLY  Tree  of  Life,  is  the  centre  and  attraction  of 
all,  in  the  midst  of  heaven.  Now,  turn  we  to  Rev.  ii.  7, 
where  we  thus  read, — "  Him  that  overcometh,  will  God  give 
to  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
paradise  of  God.*'  Can  any  thing  be  more  plain  and  deci- 
sive than  this  divine  assurance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  the 

*  See  Dr.  Guise's  Paraph,  on  this  text. 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  311 

one,  only  Tree  of  Life  is  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  and  in  the 
midst  of  paradise?  Hence,  heaven  is  the  same  place  as  pa- 
radise, and  paradise  is  identically  the  same  place  as  heaven. 
And  let  no  man  gainsay  this  testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  source  of  error  in  those  who  oppose  us,  on  this  plain 
gospel  doctrine,  is  this.  They  collect  those  passages  of 
holy  writ,  which  describe  the  fulness  of  the  perfection  of 
saints  in  body  and  soul,  at  the  last  day.  And  from  these, 
they  draw  the  conclusion,  that  because  the  saints  are  made 
fully  perfect  in  glory,  and  happiness  at  the  last  day,  at  Christ's 
coming  ;  therefore,  they  are  not  in  glory,  and  in  heaven 
NOW,  or  previous  to  that  day!  This  is  what  logicians  call 
a  non-sequitur,  a  mere  sophism.  By  the  same  process  of 
reasoning  might  I  prove,  that  because  there  is  a  general 
providence,  therefore  there  is  no  particular  providence^! 
Or,  because  saints  are  fully  perfect  in  glory  and  happiness 
only  at  the  last  day  ;  therefore  they  have  no  glory,  nor  happi- 
ness in  this  present  life,  nor  after  death,  until  the  final  judg- 
ment. But  every  one  sees  that  the  existence  of  the  one  state, 
at  the  last  day,  does  not  preclude  the  certainty  of  the  other  at 
the  hour  of  death.  The  opposers  of  this  gospel  doctrine  do 
reason  thus, — that,  because  the  one  is  true,  therefore  the  other 
is  not  true.  On  the  contrary,  the  Holy  Scriptures  declare  that 
BOTH  are  equally  true  at  their  own  proper  time,  and  in  their 
own  proper  place. 

I  conclude  with  noticing  some  of  their  expositions  of 
texts,  pressed  into  their  service.  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place 
for  you  ;  and  if  I  go,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to 
myself,"  &c.  John  xiv.  3.  Hence,  say  they,  we  are  not 
received  into  "the  mansions  of  heaven,"  until  Christ  come 
again.  But,  he  does  not  come  again  until  the  last  day. 
Hence,  not  a  soul  is  received  in  heaven  until  the  last  day. 

This  sophism  assumes  for  granted,  what  never  can  be 
proved;  namely,  that  there  is  only  one  coming  of  Christ, 
remaining  to  be  looked  for. 


312  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

Now,  let  us  only  open  our  Bible,  and  we  shall  see  that 
there  are  more  comings  of  Christ  than  the  one  in  his  flesh 
at  the  day  of  judgment.  For  instance,  Christ  comes  to  a 
people,  when  he  brings  his  gospel  to  them.  Turn  to  Matt, 
xvi.  28,  and  read, — "There  be  some  standing  here," — said 
Christ,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, — "  that  shall  not  taste  of 
death,  till  they  see  the  son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom." 
It  is  impossible  to  suppose  that  his  auditors  should  not  taste 
of  death  until  he  should  come  to  the  general  judgment. 

Again,  the  son  of  man  comes  to  each  one  of  us  person- 
ally, when  he  summons  us  to  his  bar,  at  death.  "  Watch 
ye,  for  ye  know  not  the  day,  nor  the  hour,  when  the  son  of 
man  cometh." 

Finally, — He  cometh  at  the  last  day,  to  judge  the  whole 
world  of  the  quick,  and  the  dead. 

Now,  you  perceive  that  these  critics,  who  advocate  this 
gloomy  doctrine,  that  there  is  not  even  one  soul  in  heaven,  se- 
lect all  those  passages  which  speak  of  his  coming  to  a  people 
by  his  gospel,  and  his  coming  to  each  of  us  personally  at  death, 
and  apply  them  all,  in  defiance  of  every  rule  of  criticism, 
to  Christ's  coming  the  second  time,  in  the  flesh  visibly,  to 
the  final  judgment.  This  violation  of  sound  criticism, 
and  exposition  must  be  manifest,  I  presume,  to  every  rea- 
der. Hence,  this  text  ministers  evidence  against  them,  and 
in  favour  of  our  holy  and  cheering  doctrine.  Our  Redeem- 
er is  gone  to  prepare  mansions  of  glory  for  us.  And  he 
comes,  at  death,  to  each  one  of  us  personally,  to  receive  us 
to  himself  in  heaven. 

I  shall  notice  only  one  more.  Heb.  xi.  39,  40. 
"  These,"  that  is,  the  Old  Testament  saints,  "  all  having 
obtained  a  good  report  through  faith,  received  not  the 
promise ;  God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us, 
that  they  without  us,  should  not  be  made  perfect." — In  their 
exposition  of  this  verse,  these  critics  assume,  without  proof, 
that  by    "  the  promise,"  not  received  by  the  saints,  is 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  313 

meant  nothing  more  nor  less  than  "  entrance  into  heaven 
at  their  death."  Hence,  they  conclude,  from  this  mere  as- 
sumption, that  no  saint  does — even  now — enter  heaven 
at  death,  or  before  the  last  day ! 

There  is  more  than  one  error  in  this,  but  I  shall  content 
myself  with  noticing  the  main  one.  They  mistake  the 
meaning  of  the  words  "the  promise."  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  the  Apostle  meant  by  it,  heaven,  or  that  by  their 
"  not  obtaining  the  promise,"  the  saints  were  not  admitted 
into  heaven.  By  "  the  promise,"  the  Hebrew  Church  un- 
derstood the  promised  coming  of  Messiah.  This  was  the 
grand  primitive  promise, — the  seed  of  the  woman,  Mes- 
siah incarnate,  shall  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent.  And 
every  additional  promise  was  just  a  more  luminous  exhibi- 
tion, and  a  full  illustration  of  "  the  promise." 

Now,  all  the  Old  Testament  worthies  did  not  receive  this 
promise :  they  lived  not  to  see,  or  hear  of  Messiah  actually 
come  in  the  flesh  :  they  lived  not  to  enjoy  the  fulfilment  of 
the  first  gospel  promise.*  But  the  New  Testament  saints 
did  '*  receive  that  promise  ;"  they  lived  to  enjoy  the  assur- 
ance, as  we  all  do  now,  that  Messiah  is  actually  come  in 
the  flesh.  This  is  that  "  better  thing," — that  better  dispen- 
sation of  the  New  Testament, — that  luminous  exhibition  of 
the  incarnate  God,  and  of  his  finished  atonement.  It  was 
anxiously  looked  for  by  them.  But  we  actually  enjoy  the 
fulfilment  of  the  promise.  Hence,  "  they  could  not  be  per- 
fect without  us."  Their  dispensation  was  not  perfect  with- 
out ours.  Their's  contained  the  promise  given  :  ours,  the 
better  thing,  the  great  promise  perfectly  fulfilled.  The  le- 
gitimate exposition  of  this  text,  therefore,  shows  that  it  is 
foreign  to  their  purpose. 

♦  So  the  words,  "  receive  the  promise,"  is  used  in  Heb.  x.  36,  It 
there,  as  well  as  in  the  text  under  review,  means,  "  to  enjoy  what  is 
promised." 

27* 


814  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

aUESTIONS. 

Among  the  conflicting  opinions  on  this  subject,  what 
was  the  earliest  which  we  notice  ? 

What  was  the  next,  which  was  latterly  revived  by  Dr. 
Law  ? 

Was  the  modern  opinion  of  an  "  intermediate  place" 
probably  originated  by  running  into  an  opposite  extreme, 
from  a  desire  to  refute  the  opinion  first  mentioned  ? 

Who  refuted  Dr.  Law  ?  State  John  How's  remark  on 
this. 

State  the  first  point  of  our  doctrine  in  opposition  to 
our  opponents'  opinion. 

Give  the  first  proof  in  refutation  of  their  doctrine.  Do 
all  the  Reformed  Churches  hold  our  sentiments  on  this  1 

Quote  the  declaration  of  Bishop  Bull  in  our  favour. 

Give  the  first  proof  from  Scripture  :  the  second  proof: 
the  last,  taken  from  Revelation  vii.  13,  14,  and  xiv.  5. 

What  is  the  serious  dilemma  into  which  those  are  thrown 
who  hold  that  the  souls  of  believers  depart  not  in  the  per- 
fection of  holiness  ? 

State  the  second  point  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Reformed 
Churches,  in  opposition  to  our  opponents'  sentiment. 

What  are  the  definite  words  used  by  the  spirit  of  inspira- 
tion, in  describing  the  invisible  world,  and  its  two  states  ? 

Do  all  the  Reformed  Churches  hold  this  doctrine,  in  their 
Creeds  ? 

Give  the  proof  of  this  doctrine  from  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures :  the  first  text  from  Isaiah  1  One  from  Ecclesiastes, 
&c.  1  One  from  2  Cor.  v.  1  ?  One  from  2  Cor.  v.  6,  7, 
8  ]  From  Philip  i.  23  ?  From  Eph.  iii.  15  ?  The  texts 
from  Jude  14,  and  1  Thess.  iv.  14  ?  One  from  Rev.  xiv.  13  ? 
Give  the  proof  from  the  fact  that  saints  are  carried  to  Abra- 
ham's bosom  by  the  angels,  at  death. 

State  the   opinions  of  opponents  relative  to   Paradise. 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  315 

What  proof  bring  they  that  Paradise  is  a  place  "  apart  from 
heaven,"  and  "  away  from  it." 

Can  you  refute  this  ?  Was  not  Paul's  vision  and  rap- 
ture, one,  as  determined  by  the  one  date  1 

Why  did  he  vary  the  name  of  the  place  from  "  third 
Heavens/'  to  "  Paradise  ?" 

State  the  main  source  of  the  error  of  our  opponents'  ar- 
gument on  this  point. 

How  do  you  vindicate  John  xiv.  3,  from  their  forced 
construction  1 

Is  not  this  based  on  the  false  assumption  that  there  is 
only  ONE  coming  of  Christ  remaining  to  be  accomplished? 

How  do  you  vindicate  Heb.  xi.  39,  40,  from  their  erro- 
neous exposition  ? 

Is  not  their  opinion  based  on  a  mistaken  view  of  "  the 
PROMISE,"  spoken  of  in  that  passage  ? 

MEDITATION. 

"  When  the  spark  of  life  is  waning, 

Weep  not  for  me ! 
When  the  languid  eye  is  straining, 

Weep  not  for  me  ! 
When  the  feeble  pulse  is  ceasing, 
Start  not  at  its  swift  decreasing, 
'Tis  the  fettered  soul's  releasing ; 

Weep  not  for  me ! 

"  When  the  pangs  of  death  assail  me, 

Weep  not  for  me  ! 
Christ  is  mine,  he  cannot  fail  me — 

Weep  not  for  me  ! 
Yes,  though  sin  and  doubt  endeavour 
From  his  love  my  soul  to  sever, 
Jesus  is  my  strength  for  ever! 

Weep  not  for  me !" 

Blessed  be  God  for  this  doctrine,  so  consoling  and  cheer- 


316  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

ing  to  the  dying  Christian,  and  to  those  who  survive  chris- 
tian friends.  Oh  !  delightful  and  triumphant  thought  ! 
During  the  long  sleep  of  the  body  in  the  dust,  our 
pure  and  holy  spirits  are  carried  up  to  heaven  by  angels, 
into  the  paradise  of  God,  into  the  ravishing  communion  of 
God,  with  saints  and  angels,  in  everlasting  glory  !  Blessed 
be  my  God,  that  this  soul,  on  its  leaving  the  body,  will  not 
be  given  up  to  a  state  of  insensibility  ;  nor  abandoned 
to  wander  in  the  vasty  abyss,  or  "  prison  of  spirits,"  "away 
from  the  abodes  of  heavenly  bliss  !" 

*'  The  Angel  of  the  Covenant, 
Was  come — and  faithful  to  his  promise  stood, 
Prepared  to  walk  with  her  through  Death's  dark  vale; 
And  now  her  eyes  grew  bright,  and  brighter  still, 

Then  closed  without  a  cloud. 
They  set,  as  sets  the  morning  star — 
That  goes  not  down  behind  the  darken'd  west, 
Nor  hides  obscured  among  the  tempests  of  the  sky, 
But  melts  away  into  the  light  of  heaven  !" 

Blessed  be  God  for  this  clear  evidence,  which  sets  me  free 
from  this  melancholy  and  most  dreary  doctrine,  which  threat- 
ens us  with  the  loss  of  perfection  in  holiness  at  death,  and 
of  an  immediate  entrance  into  heaven,  where  Christ  is.  I 
feel  a  burden  lifted  up  from  my  heart,  by  this  divine  assur- 
ance. I  shall  not  be  excluded  for  countless  ages  from 
heaven.  I  shall  not  be  denied  the  happiness  of  being  where 
Christ  is,  nor  refused  admittance  to  him  at  death.  My 
heart  exults  in  me,  and  leaps  with  joy,  as  I  dwell  on  the 
rapturous  prospect  before  me  !  Oh !  joyful  hour  !  When 
this  bodily  tabernacle  is  dissolved,  I  have,  the  next  instant, 
an  eternal  dwelling  in  the  heavens.  \Mien  my  poor  body, 
now  a  little  dust  and  ashes,  shall  rest  on  the  bed  of  death, 
my  soul  shall  walk  in  its  uprightness  in  heaven.  When  I 
shall  be  absent  from  the  body,  I  shall  be  present  with  the 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  317 

Lord.  When  I  shall  depart  this  life,  and  leave  the  Church 
below,  and  all  my  dear  friends,  I  shall,  with  infallible  cer- 
tainty, be  with  Christ.  I  shall  see  him  as  he  is.  And  he 
will  smile  on  my  holy  and  pure  soul  ;  and  send  into  it  the 
raptures  of  heaven.  I  shall  see  his  face  for  ever  ;  and  hear 
his  voice  ;  and  be  covered  with  the  eternal  weight  of  his 
glory ! 

Glory  be  to  the  Triune  God,  for  this  glorious  and  trium- 
phant hope  of  immediate  glory.  And,  oh  !  most  rapturous 
thought,  I  shall  behold,  in  heaven's  dazzling  vision,  the  pure 
and  perfected  spirits  of  that  dear  father  ;  that  dear  mother ; 
those  dear  brothers ;  those  dear  sisters,  who  have  gone  be- 
fore me  !  Yes  !  not  lost  are  they, — not  in  a  state  of  insen- 
sibility—not "in  prison ;"  not  "in  a  place  apart  from  heaven:" 
but  in  the  perfection  of  holiness,  enjoying  eternal  glory. 
I  shall  see  them.  I  shall  meet  them  ; — and  be  welcomed 
by  them,  and  shall  congratulate  them,  at  the  instant  of  my 
death  !  And  the  Triune  God  will  throw  over  our  purified 
souls  the  ineffable  raptures  of  his  love,  and  glory  ! 

And,  after  the  long  lapse  of  ages,  when  our  dear  Redeem- 
er shall  have  gathered  all  the  family  of  God  into  his  king- 
dom below,  and  above, — when  the  last  chosen  one  shall 
have  been  converted,  then  will  come  the  end.  And  this 
"  mortal  having  at  his  command,  put  on  immortality  ;  and 
this  corruptible,  put  on  iucorruption," — then  shall  I  appear 
in  my  own  proper  person, — in  body  and  soul,  by  the  side  of 
my  Redeemer.  And  I  shall,  with  all  the  ransomed,  be 
made  perfect  in  glory,  and  perfect  in  happiness.  And  so  shall 
I  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord,  and  for  ever  with  all  the  ransom- 
ed, and  with  all  the  angels,  and  with  all  the  host  of  heaven, 
for  ever  and  ever  !  I  shall  be  "  as  the  angels  of  God  in 
heaven."  Glory  be  to  God,  for  such  everlasting  conso- 
lations, and  good  hope  through  grace  ! 


318  CONDITION    OF    BELIEVERS 

To  be  like  to  the  angels ! 

Are  these  words  on  my  heart  1 
Oh !  fain  would  I  grasp 

The  bright  thoughts  they  impart. 
I  will  think  on  the  angels, 

Bring  their  joys  to  my  view  : 
I  shall  love  all  that's  good, 

I  shall  know  all  that's  true. 

"Not  an  error  to  darken, 

Not  a  sin  to  deplore, 
Delighting  in  knowledge, 

And  truth,  evermore  ! 
But  no  thought  can  conceive. 

The  full  bliss  we  shall  prove; 
When  the  whole  of  our  being 

Shall  be  love, — perfkct  love  !" 

A  PRAYER. 

Most  gracious  and  heavenly  Father,  what  shall  I  render 
to  thee  for  this  assured  faith,  and  these  transporting  hopes, 
of  entering  immediately  at  death,  into  thy  presence  in  the 
perfection  of  holiness,  and  eternal  glory  ! 

How  delightful,  0  God  !  to  follow  thee  whither  thy  per- 
fect word  leads  us  ;  and  to  lift  our  eyes  above  the  storms  of 
affliction,  and  all  these  tempestuous  evils  of  life  ;  and  above 
the  gloomy  valley  of  death,  up  on  high  to  the  mountains  of 
unfading  beauty,  and  immortal  glory  !  I  adore  thee  for  the 
assurance  that  I  shall  always  be  where  Christ  is.  Yes, — 
transporting  thought, — I  shall  always  be  where  Christ  is  ! 
I  am,  now,  absent  from  him  :  because  I  am  at  home  in  the 
body.  But,  when  at  his  call,  my  soul  shall  leave  this  world 
-—and  be  absent  from  my  body,  then  shall  I  be  present  with 
the  Lord.  O  yes  !  I  shall  be  present, — for  ever  present 
with  the  Lord ! 

And  if  thy  gracious  presence,  most  Holy  Comforter, 
vouchsafes  such  sweet  and  heart-cheering  joys  to  me,  in 
communion  with  thee,  and  thy  saints,  while  in  this  gloomy 


AT    THEIR    DEATH.  319 

vale  of  sin,  and  misery,  while  I  think  of  my  Saviour,  and 
love  him  with  rapturous  joy, — though  to  me  yet  unseen, — 
O  what  will  be  the  heavenly  joy,  and  high  transporting  ra- 
vishments, when  my  soul,  made  perfect  in  holiness,  and 
perfect  in  all  its  capacities  of  service,  and  enjoyment,  shall 
enter,  at  the  instant  of  death,  into  thy  immediate  presence,  to 
see  thee  as  thou  art — Oh  !  yes,  to  see  thee  as  Thou  art,  in 
heaven's  joy  and  glory,  unutterable  ! 

And,  oh  !  height  and  depth  ;  breadth  and  length  of  divine 
love, — if  such  be  the  unutterable  joy,  and  glory  awaiting  the 
soul  at  death, — what  tongue  of  man,  or  angel  can  tell, — 
what  mind  of  man,  or  seraph,  can  conceive  the  boundless 
glory,  and  rapturous  felicity  when,  at  thy  right  hand,  at  the 
great  day,  we  shall,  in  body  and  soul,  be  received  with  thy 
divine  plaudit,  into  thy  infinite,  thy  eternal,  and  ineffable 
glory, — in  the  full  assembly  of  saints,  and  angels,  and  all 
thy  pure  celestial  hosts  in  all  worlds ! 

For  these  transporting  hopes,  and  this  immortal  glory  in 
body,  and  soul,  are  we  indebted  to  thee,  0  Triune  God  ! 
Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
for  ever  and  ever  :  "  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  &c. 
Amen. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


OF  OUR  RESURRECTION  FROM  THE  DEAD  ;  AND   THE  BE- 
NEFITS THAT  FOLLOW  IT. 

'•'  Another  angel  stood, 

And  blew  the  trump  of  God.     'Awake,  ye  dead  ! 

Be  changed,  ye  living,  and  put  on  the  garb 

Of  immortality!     Awake!  Arise! 

The  God  of  judgment  comes !'    This  said  the  voice. 

And  silence,  from  eternity  that  slept 

Beyond  the  sphere  of  the  creating  Word, 

And  all  the  noise  of  Time,  awakened,  heard. 

Heaven  heard  ;  and  earth;  and  farthest  hell,  through  all 

Her  regions  of  despair  !     The  ear  of  Death 

Heard ;  and  the  sleep  that  for  so  long  a  night 

Pressed  on  his  leaden  eye-lids,  fled  ;  and  all 

The  dead  awoke  !  And  all  the  living  changed !" 

POLLOK. 

Long  after  the  sou),  being  made  perfect  in  holiness,  shall 
have  passed  into  heaven,  will  the  body  slumber  in  the  dust. 
This  sleep  will  not  be  interrupted  until  Christ  shall  descend 
to  the  last  judgment.  Of  that  day,  and  of  that  hour,  no  one  is 
cognizant.  It  was  not  given  to  our  Redeemer,  as  a  part  of 
the  things  to  be  by  him,  as  prophet,  revealed  to  us.  But  in 
his  appointed  time.  He  will  descend  from  heaven  with  a 
shout :  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the  trump  of 
God,  and  will  summon  all  the  dead  and  living  to  his  bar. 


OF    OUR   RESURRECTION,    ETC.  321 

This  is  a  doctrine  of  purely  divine  revelation.  God  alone 
can  tell  us  whether  he  will  raise  the  dead.  God  alone 
can  raise  the  dust,  and  build  the  human  form  afresh.  And 
'*  what  he  can,  he  will."  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Al- 
mighty ?  Do  not  his  all-seeing  eyes  behold  every  particle 
of  our  dust,  and  bones  1  Though  scattered  in  the  air,  and 
dispersed  in  deep  waters ;  though  they  have  passed  through 
a  thousand  changes,  his  eyes  are  ever  on  them.  They  are 
all  well  known  to  him.  And  he  who  has  given  birth  to  un- 
numbered millions  of  beings  in  heaven,  on  earth,  and  in 
the  waters  ;  he  who  has  called  all  these  beings,  spiritual, 
and  material,  and  of  a  mixed  nature,  originally  out  of  no- 
thing, can  easily  call  the  decomposed  form,  and  already  ex- 
isting materials,  into  animated  being. 

Here,  a  sufficient  cause  is  assigned.  And  no  man  who 
believes  in  the  power  of  the  Almighty  can  deem  it  a  thing 
"  incredible  that  God  should  raise  the  dead." 

The  proofs  of  this  are  ample  and  consolitory.  At  an  ear- 
ly period  God  translated  Enoch's  body,  along  with  his 
soul,  into  glory.  This  gave  us  a  literal  pledge  that  our  bo- 
dies, as  well  as  souls,  shall,  in  due  time,  be  with  God  in  hea- 
ven. At  an  early  period  we  find  Job  declaring  this  to  be 
an  article  of  his  faith  :  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth  ; 
and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  :  and 
though  after  my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my 
flesh  shall  I  see  God,  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine 
eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another  ;  though  my  reins  be  con- 
sumed within  me."  Job  xix.  25,  26,  27.  Isaiah  declares 
the  consolatory  truth  in  chap.  xxvi.  19,  "Thy  dead  men 
shall  live :  together  with  my  dead  body,  shall  they  arise  : 
awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust — and  the  eai'th  shall 
cast  out  the  dead."* 

*  Allow  me  to  give  a  literal  version  from  the  original : — "Thy  dead 
shall  live :  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise,"  &c.  &c, 
28 


322  OF    OUR    RESURRECTION 

I 

Daniel  taught  this  same  doctrine  : —  "  The  many  that 
sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth,  shall  awake  ;  some  to  ever- 
lasting life  ;  and  some  to  everlasting  contempt." — "  The 
hour  is  coming,"  says  our  Lord,  in  John  v.  28, — "  when 
all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  his  voice  ;  and  shall 
come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done  good,  to  the  resurrection 
of  life  ;  they  that  have  done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
nation."— "  There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  both 
of  the  just  and  the  unjust."     Acts  xxiv.  15. 

This  is  a  specimen  of  the  proof  of  this  glorious  doctrine 
set  forth  in  detached  sentences.  We  refer  to  the  full  and 
perfect  argument  of  St.  Paul  in  I  Cor.  xv.  chapter. 

I  beg  to  give  a  specimen  of  doctrinal  arguments.  I  al- 
lude, first,  to  that  of  our  Lord  in  his  confutation  of  the  deists 
of  his  day,  in  Luke  xx.  37.  "  Now,  that  the  dead  are  rais- 
ed, even  Moses  showed  at  the  bush,  when  he  called  God  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob  ;  for  God  is  not 
the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living."  Now,  here  lies  the 
force  of  this  divine  argument.  God  is  the  God  of  these 
holy  patriarchs;  he  is  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Ja- 
cob. But,  he  is  not  the  God  of  their  souls  merely  :  he  is  the 
God  of  their  persons.  Now,  the  body  is  the  essential  part 
of  a  person.  The  soul  of  Abraham  is  not  Abraham.  The 
soul  and  body  make  Abraham ;  hence  Abraham's  dead 
body  must  be  raised  to  complete  that  person  of  which  Jeho- 
hovah  is  "the  covenant  God."  This  guarantees  infalli- 
bly the  resurrection  of  every  dead  saint ;  as  well  as  that  of 
the  three  patriarchs  here  mentioned. 

The  next  I  allude  to  is  2  Cor.  v.  10,  which  I  beg  per- 
mission to  render  literally, — "We  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  in  the 
body,  according  to  what  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good,  or 
bad."  Thus,  every  one  must  receive  the  doom  of  the  judge 
in  the  body.     Hence,  the  body  must  be  raised  up. 

Our  Lord  "  bought  us  with  with  his  blood."     This  re- 


FROM    THE    DEAD.  323 

garded  us  as  human  beings  ;  as  persons.  Now,  the  body  is 
a  part  of  the  person  as  essential  as  is  the  soul.  Hence  he 
bought  our  bodies,  as  well  as  our  souls.  Hence,  the  body 
must  be  raised  up  out  of  the  hand  of  the  enemy.  Death. 
Take,  in  connexion  with  this,  the  interesting  fact,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  sanctifies  the  body,  as  well  as  the  soul.  1  Thess. 
V.  23.  And  he  makes  "  the  body  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
who  dwells  in  it."  Hence,  as  the  purchased  and  sanctified 
temple  of  God,  the  body  must  be  raised  from  the  grave. 

Finally ;  the  justice  of  God  requires  the  resurrection  of 
the  bodies  of  the  righteous,  and  of  the  wicked.  "We  must 
receive  in  the  body,  that  which  we  have  done."  This,  di- 
vine Justice  will  never  yield  up.  For  it  cannot  act  contra- 
ry  to  its  nature.  The  body  was  the  guilty  instrument  in 
which  the  wicked  perpetrated  their  crimes.  Hence  the  ir- 
resistible demand  of  divine  justice  will  cause  its  resurrec- 
tion, in  order  that  it  may  receive  "the  wages  of  sin  ;"  and 
expiate  every  crime  by  the  award  of  endless  suffering.  And 
divine  justice  owes  it  to  itself  to  see  that  the  body,  which 
was  ransomed  by  Christ,  and  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  was,  with  the  soul,  the  instrument  of  glorifying  God, 
in  the  acts  of  holy  life,  be  put  in  possession  of  the  rich  re- 
wards of  grace.  Therefore  it  must  be  ransomed  from  the 
grave  in  order  to  its  receiving  the  crown  of  glory  from  the 
hand  of  Christ. 

In  a  word,  our  Lord  "by  dying,  conquered  him  that  has 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil."  But,  if  divine  justice 
did  not  secure  to  Christ  every  one  of  the  trophies  of  his  tri- 
umphant death,  by  ransoming  them  from  the  power  of  the 
grave,  then,  that  would  happen  which  is  absolutely  impossi- 
ble :  namely,  he  who  has  the  power  of  death,  even  the  de- 
vil, would  gain  the  victory  over  the  b6dies  of  those  who  are 
ransomed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ! 

Third  : — Let  us  contemplate  the  extraordinary  difference 
between  the  righteous,  and  the  wicked  in  their  resurrection. 


324  OP    OUR    RESURRECTION 

The  righteous  will  be  raised  by  the  bond  of  their  union  to 
Christ,  even  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  will  quicken  them,  and 
draw  them  up  from  the  grave  by  his  love. 

The  wicked  will  be  raised,  and  driven  forth  out  of  the  pri- 
son of  their  graves,  as  culprits  hurried  from  the  dungeon 
cell  to  a  public  execution. 

The  righteous  will  be  raised  with  loud  acclamations  of 
joy  and  glory.  "  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting !  0  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  !  Glory  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the 
victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  wicked  will 
be  raised  up  with  consternation,  and  horror ! 

The  righteous  will  be  raised  with  bodies,  now  pure,  and 
powerful,  spiritual,  and  immortal.  The  wicked  will  be  rais- 
ed with  bodies  covered  and  overwhelmed  with  corruption,  at 
the  very  approach  to  which  its  long-absent  tenant,  the  soul, 
will  be  overpowered  with  disgust  and  horror,  and  the  bitter 
pains  of  the  second  death. 

The  righteous  will  be  clothed  in  unfading  glory,  and 
dwell  for  ever  in  heaven's  uncreated  light,  where  the  whole 
family  of  God  shall  meet ;  deriving  new  and  fresh  happi- 
ness, every  moment,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord :  and 
continually  receiving  new  pleasures  in  making  each  other 
more  happy,  and  more  blessed.  The  wicked  will  be  for 
ever  held  in  chains,  and  "worn  and  wasted  with  enormous 
woe,"  under  the  unendurable,  and  eternal  pains  of  the  second 
death !  They  will  for  ever  be  suffering  the  agonies  of  death  in 
soul,  and  in  body  ;  and  will  long  to  die  ;  b\it  death  will  fly 
from  them  ! 

The  righteous  will  know  even  as  he  is  known  in  heaven. 
And  in  these  mutual  recognitions  of  all  the  great  and  good  ; 
and  of  all  their  histories  mutually  known,  in  the  grand  evo- 
lutions of  divine  providence,  they  will  derive  a  boundless 
increase  of  happiness,  and  most  rapturous  pleasures  from  each 
other's  company,  and  fellowship.  The  wicked  will,  also,  have 
their  mutual  recognitions :  the  seducer  will  meet  the  seduced ; 


FROM    THE    DEAD.  325 

the  murderer  his  victim  ;  the  tyrant,  the  hosts  he  slew  on 
each  side,  in  the  murderous  battle-field  ;  and  they  will  be 
mutual  and  horrid  tormentors  of  each  other,  through  the 
ages  of  eternity ! 

The  righteous  will  be  continually  making  new  discoveries 
in  God's  kingdoms  of  nature,  of  providence,  and  of  grace. 
And  they  will  thence  continually  attain  to  fresh  and  ever 
increasing  pleasures,  and  happiness,  in  the  boundless  ages 
of  eternity  ;  being  ever  with  his  God  ;  and  ever  surround- 
ed with  the  effulgent  glory  of  his  immediate  presence.  The 
wicked  will  feel  in  himself  the  weight  of  incurable  sin,  ever 
pressing  him  down  ;  he  will  be  for  ever  adding  enormous 
mountains  of  his  guilt  to  the  crushing  weight  of  his  former 
sin.  He  will  never  cease  to  sin.  He  will  be  sinking,  and 
for  ever  sinking  in  the  pit.  He  will  never  reach  the  bot- 
tom of  it !  It  is  the  bottomless  pit  !  Hence  he  makes 
his  own  hell  everlasting  !  He  will  obstinately  continue  to 
sin,  and  defy  God,  and  blaspheme  his  justice.  And  divine 
justice  will  punish  just  as  long  as  he  sins.  That  is  to  say, — 
for  ever,  and  ever.  The  happiness  and  glory  of  the  righ- 
teous, and  the  doom  of  the  wicked  are,  in  their  duration,  de- 
scribed by  the  same  word,  by  the  command  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  that  word  is  used  to  describe  the  eternity  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Deity.  Math.  xxv.  46.  "  They  shall  go  away  into 
everlasting  punishment :  but  the  righteous  into  life  ever- 
lasting." 

Fourth  : — The  bodies  of  all  men  will  be  raised  identi- 
cally the  same  ;  but  very  different  in  their  attributes. — We 
have  already  noticed  these  attributes.  Let  us  examine,  in  a 
few  words,  the  fact  of  the  identity  of  each.  We  have  no- 
thing to  do  with  the  apparent  difficulties  which  philosophy 
and  science  may  raise.  We  shall  offer  the  proof  from  the 
Bible,  and  reason  ;  and  leave  men  to  settle  their  scepticism 
with  their  Maker.  There  are  infinite  difficulties  in  natural 
science,  and  the  history  of  animated  nature,  revealed  by 

28* 


326  OF    OUR    RESURRECTION 

the  miscroscope.  Yet,  who  doubts  the  facts,  merely  because 
he  cannot  solve  the  difficulties  ?  The  human  body  may 
undergo  manifold  changes ;  yet  there  is  that  in  it  which 
constitutes  it  identically  the  one  same  body,  before  God, 
and  the  laws  of  man. 

Now,  this  is  a  resurrection.  That  is,  it  is  the  raising  up 
of  that  which  was  put  into  the  grave.  Hence,  the  Spirit  of 
God  by  our  Lord  says, — "  All  that  are  in  their  graves  shall 
come  forth."  If  it  be  not  the  same  body  which  was  there 
deposited  that  is  then  raised,  this  language  cannot  be  de- 
fended. But  they  ai*e  the  words  of  infinite  truth,  and 
power. 

If  the  same  body  be  not  raised,  it  cannot  with  any  pro- 
priety be  called  a  resurrection.  If  a  body  different  from  the 
one  deposited  be  raised,  then  is  it  a  new  creation,  not  a 
resurrection. 

If  a  body  be  given  to  us  diflferent  from  that  which  we  had 
in  this  world,  then  is  this  a  transmigration  of  souls  ;  not  a 
resurrection  of  the  dead. 

Death  does  not  annihilate  the  particles  of  our  body.  The 
operation  of  fire  in  the  universal  conflagration  will  not  an- 
nihilate our  bodies.  If  we  have  a  different  body  in  the 
great  day,  from  that  which  we  laid  down  in  the  grave  ;  then 
have  we,  each  of  us,  two  bodies.  This  would  make  us 
not  human  beings,  but  monsters  ;  possessing  two  bodies, 
actually  existing  at  the  same  time,  in  different  places. 

The  most  Holy  God  will  not  glorify  in  heaven  any  other 
body,  but  that  one,  which  was  ransomed  by  Christ,  and 
sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  secures  the  rising  of 
the  same  body.  And  the  equity  of  divine  justice  requires 
that  the  same  body  of  the  finally  impenitent  be  raised.  For, 
if  the  wicked  man  receive  at  the  day  of  final  retribution,  a 
different  body  from  that  in  which  he  committed  his  crimes, 
then  does  the  guilty  instrument  escape  for  ever  in  the  obli- 
vious grave  :  and  that  new  body,  which,  on  this  supposition, 


FROM    THE    DEAD.  327 

he  receives,  is  punished  with  everlasting  destruction, — which 
yet  never  was  the  instrument  of  sin,  and  never  sinned  ! 

Finally,  in  addition  to  the  texts  already  referred  to,  I  shall 
adduce  only  one.  "  Our  conversation  is  in  heaven  ;  whence 
we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  who  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body."— Phil.  iii.  20,  21. 

aUESTIONS. 

Whither  go  the  souls  of  believers  at  death  ? 

The  proof  of  this  1  Out  of  the  Old  Testament  ?  Out  of 
the  New? 

What  tivo  notable  proofs  did  Christ  give  of  this  ? 

What  becomes  of  the  body  at  death  ? 

Will  it  be  raised  up  again  1 

Is  this  a  doctrine  of  piu-ely  divine  Revelation  1  Explain 
this? 

Is  it  improbable  ?     Do  we  not  assign  a  sufficient  cause  ? 

Recite  the  proofs  of  this?     From  the  Old  Testament  ? 

Proof  from  the  New  Testament  ? 

Have  you  a  regular  and  full  argumentative  exhibition  of 
this  in  the  Bible  ?     Yes,  in  1  Cor.  xv.  chap. 

Produce  the  doctrinal  arguments  for  it.     The  first  ? 

The  next  ?     The  next,  from  Christ's  purchase  ? 

The  next,  from  the  claims  of  divine  justice  ? 

The  next,  from  Christ's  conquest  of  him  who  has  the 
power  of  death  ? 

Name  the  difference  between  the  righteous,  and  the  wick- 
ed :  the  first  ? 

The  next  point  of  difference  in  the  resurrection  ?  The 
next  ?     The  next  ?     The  next  ?     The  next  ? 

The  manner  : — how  will  the  dead  be  raised  ? 

Will  it  be  the  self-same  body  ?     Explain  this. 

Proof  of  this  identity  ?     Another  proof? 


328  OF    OUR    RESURRECTION 

If  the  same  body  is  not  raised,  what  would  it  be,  instead 
of  a  resurrection  ? 

Does  the  denial  of  this  identity  of  the  body,  involve  va- 
rious absurdities  ? 

Give  the  proof  of  the  identity  from  Christ's  purchase  of 
us. 

Give  the  proof  from  divine  justice,  that  the  self-same 
bodies  of  the  wicked  shall  be  raised. 

Proof  from  a  text  of  the  Bible,  that  we  shall  have  the 
same  body  remodelled  from  the  grave  ]     Explain  this. 

How  feel  you,  my  dear  reader,  in  view  of  death, — of  the 
resurrection — and  eternity  ?  Are  you  prepared  ?  Do  you 
feel  anxious  to  be  prepared  to  depart  this  life  ? 

MEDITATION. 

''  See  Truth,  Love,  and  Mercy  in  triumph  descending, 
And  beauty  all  glowing  in  Eden's  first  bloom : 
On  the  cold  cheek  of  death,  smiles  and  roses  are  blending ; 
And  beauty  immortal  awakes  from  the  tomb  !" 

Dr.  Beattie. 

This  body,  so  fondly  cherished  and  caressed,  must  soon 
die.  Yes,  these  limbs, — these  hands, — this  head, — this  beat- 
ing heart, — these  heaving  lungs  ;  these  eyes,  which  look 
forth  on  all  around ;  this  tongue,  which  gives  forth  the  mu- 
sic of  language, — must  all  soon  be  dissolved  in  dust.  Oh ! 
mournful  lot  of  man — born  in  sin  ;  the  heir  of  misery  ! 
What  a  lesson  of  humility  is  here  taught  me !  Can  I  be 
vain,  or  proud  of  these  limbs  ?  Can  I  boast  of  this  shape ; 
of  this  beauty  ;  of  this  complexion  ; — when  all  will  soon 
be  converted  into  sordid  dust?  Oh  !  mournful,  and  shock- 
ing event !  My  soul  shudders  at  the  prospect.  My  body 
trembles  with  dismay  at  the  footstep  of  death  I 

And  God  might  have  left  us  to  the  devouring  grave. 
Death  might  have  been  allowed  to  strew  his  dust  over  these 
limbs,  in  its  undisturbed,  and  perpetual  sleep  !  Or,  He 
might  have  awakened  us  all,  to  the  terrific  retribution  of 


FROM    THE    DEAD.  329 

justice,  in  body,  as  well  as  soul,  in  the  devourings  of  ever- 
lasting fire ! 

But,  a  door  of  hope  is  opened  to  us  in  the  valley  of  trou- 
ble. Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  rejoice  in  God  thy 
Saviour  !  Death  is  not  an  eternal  sleep  !  Nor  shall  I  be 
awakened  from  it,  to  weeping,  and  wailing,  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.  Glory  to  God,  for  the  hopes  of  the  gospel !  My 
soul,  now  washed  clean  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  will  en- 
ter immediately  into  glory,  on  its  removal  from  this  clay 
tabernacle.  I  shall  open  these  feeble  eyes  on  the  earth,  no 
more.  But  I  shall  open  them  in  immortal  strength,  on  the 
glory  of  Immanuel.  1  shall  see  my  dear  relatives  on  earth 
no  more.  But  I  shall  meet  them  and  the  other  saints  in 
glory,  at  my  Redeemer's  right  hand.  This  tongue  shall  no 
more  praise  thee  in  thy  Church  on  earth.  But  I  shall  praise 
thee  for  ever  in  the  skies. 

And  this  body,  so  dearly  loved,  and  so  fondly  cherished, 
I  shall  not  lose,  although  it  descends  into  the  grave,  "  like  a 
disabled  pitcher,"  of  no  use  ?  and  be  resolved  into  its  native 
dust.  The  Lord  will  build  my  bones  anew  ;  and  set  up  this 
tabernacle,  never  more  to  be  pulled  down.     0  glorious  hope ! 

0  glorious  day  of  consummated  redemption !    I  shall  see  it, — 

1  shall  feel  it — I  shall  exult,  and  rejoice  in  this  renovated 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  My  assurance  of  it  rests  on 
the  word  of  the  Almighty,  and  Eternal  God.  "  This  is  the 
Father's  will,  who  hath  sent  me,"  says  my  Redeemer, — 
"  that  of  all  whom  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing  ; 
but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.  John  vi.  39. 
Even  so,  faithful  and  Almighty  Redeemer  !  thou  wilt  lose 
NONE  of  all  those  who  are  given  to  thee  by  the  Father. 
And  thou  wilt  lose  nothing  of  any  one  of  them  :  for  thou 
wilt  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.  Yes  ;  I  know  it ;  and 
I  believe  it,  and  I  am  sure  God  is  able  to  do  this ;  for  he 
is  Almighty.  He  is  ivilling  to  do  it :  for  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it.     0  glorious  day  !     when  I  shall  feel 


330  OF    OUR    RESURRECTION 

this  body  raised  up  from  the  long  sleep  of  the  grave  :  and 
reunited  to  this  soul,  with  unspeakable  joy  and  bliss.  O 
boundless  felicity  !  O  ineffable  glory  !  What  shall  I 
render  to  thee,  my  God,  for  such  blessings  bestowed  on  a 
poor  rebel ! 

And  this  body,  too,  shall  then  reach  its  full  growth  of  per- 
fection. It  will  be  raised  up  pure,  from  all  the  earth's  base 
dross ;  and  from  all  the  effects  of  sin,  and  death.  It  will  be 
raised  up  powerful  ;  no  more  to  be  bowed  down  with 
wasting  disease  ;  nor  enfeebled  by  toils,  and  pains.  I  shall 
be  clothed  and  adorned  with  immortal  strength.  It  will 
be  raised  up  spiritual.  It  will  never  again  be  weighed 
down  by  the  grossness,  and  sensuality  of  flesh  and  blood. 
It  will  possess  the  joyful  elasticity  of  spirit ;  and  a  capabi- 
lity of  moving  with  inconceivable  celerity  over  the  vast  do- 
minions of  God  ;  as  on  angel's  wing,  or  with  the  speed 
of  thought.  It  will  be  raised  immortal.  It  will  never  more 
droop,  nor  fade  away  in  pining  disease  ;  it  will  never  again 
be  dissolved.  It  will  be  made  like  to  Christ's  glorious  body. 
It  will  bloom  in  the  glow  of  Eden's  first  beauty,  and  the  un- 
fading glory  of  heaven ! 

Remember,  then,  0  my  soul,  thy  high  destinies !  Shun 
the  world's  fascinating  snares.  Crucify  the  flesh,  with  its 
affections,  and  lusts.  Let  me  live  as  it  becometh  an  heir 
of  this  glory,  and  the  expectant  of  this  glorious  resurrection. 
Amen. 

A  PRAYER. 

O  eternal  God !  I  would  humbly  approach  thee,  who  only 
hast  immortality.  I  am  a  poor  dying  worm  :  a  creature  of 
yesterday,  and  know  nothing.  Thou  art  the  immortal 
One  ;  ever  the  same,  from  everlasting  to  everlasting.  Thou 
alone,  0  Jehovah,  art  immutable  !  With  thee  is  no  change. 
Lord,  what  am  I  in  thy  sight  ?  I  am  vanity :  I  am  less 
than  nothing  before  thee !     I  am  here  a  few  fleeting  days, 


FROM    THE    DEAD.  331 

on  thy  footstool.  And  the  place  that  knows  me  now,  will 
soon  know  me  no  more.  Teach  me  to  moderate  every 
earthly  desire  ;  to  check  pride,  and  ambition.  0  eternal 
God !  graut  me  grace  to  curb  every  passion,  and  affection. 
Let  me  be  clothed  with  humility.  Let  me  keep  a  loose 
hold  of  all  sublunary  things.  The  grave  is  opening,  and  is 
ready  to  receive  me.  In  thee,  0  ever-living  God,  "I  will 
trust ;  and  not  be  afraid.  For  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my 
strength,  and  my  song  :  he  also  is  become  my  salvation." 
"  Thou  wilt  go  down  with  me  into  Egypt ;  and  thou  wilt 
bring  me  up  again."  When  I  die,  I  will  put  myself  into 
thy  hands,  by  an  act  of  faith  in  thee,  0  merciful  Redeemer  ! 
and  thy  hands  will  dissolve  this  body  ;  and  receive  my  soul 
to  thy  glory. 

And,  blessed  for  ever  be  thy  name  :  thou  wilt  ransom  me 
from  the  power  of  the  grave  :  thou  wilt  deliver  me  from 
death.  And  as  my  Saviour  lives,  so  shall  I  live,  and  abide 
before  thee  for  ever.  0  wonderful  love !  0  matchless 
grace  !  What  hath  God  wrought !  Everlasting  honours 
crown  thee,  O  glorious  Redeemer !  Thou  wilt  cause  "  our 
dead  men,"  thy  ransomed  ones,  to  live.  Thou  wilt  com- 
mand the  earth  to  cast  forth  her  dead.  Yes,  Lord,  those 
dearly  beloved  beings,  whose  souls  are  gone  to  thee,  have 
left  their  sacred  dust  with  us,  here  in  the  militant  church. 
By  this  mysterious  bond  are  we  united  to  the  church  trium- 
phant. They  have  the  souls  of  our  departed  saints  :  we 
have  their  dust  with  us.  And  this  we  hold  as  a  certain  and 
infallible  pledge,  that  thou,  0  Lord  God  !  wilt  come  again  to 
recover  thine  own  from  death,  and  receive  them  again  from 
the  devouring  grave. 

Blessed  be  thy  name,  0  God  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
venant !  that  death  will  be  destroyed  by  our  glorious  resur- 
rection. Christ,  by  dying,  has  conquered  him  that  has  the 
power  of  death,  even  Satan.  And  he  arose  from  the  grave  by 
his  own  divine  power  ;  he  is  the  first  fruits  of  them  that  sleep. 


332 

O  my  dear  and  dying  Saviour !  I  died  with  thee  unto  sin. 
O  my  exalted,  and  ever-living  Redeemer  !  I  shall  rise,  and 
reign  with  thee  for  ever  on  thy  throne.  My  soul  exults  at 
the  hope  of  meeting  thee,  0  Lord,  in  heaven  in  my  disem- 
bodied spirit.  My  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope.  And  my  soul 
leaps  with  joy,  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  thee,  my  Redeem- 
er and  my  Judge  !  on  the  morning  of  the  great  day,  in  the 
possession  of  my  dissolved,  and  long-lost  body.  For  this 
mortal  shall  put  on  immortality  ;  and  this  corruptible  shall 
put  on  incorruptiou :  so,  then,  when  this  mortal  shall  have 
put  on  immortality ;  and  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on 
incorruption,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass,  the  saying  that 
is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory  !  0  glorious 
hour  !  0  most  blessed  day  !  which  ushers  in  the  endless 
honours  of  eternity  !  There,  all  thy  ransomed  people  shall 
assemble  before  thee,  in  body  and  in  soul.  No  one  of  the 
redeemed  shall  be  amissing.  Nothing  shall  be  awanting  to 
complete  the  glory,  and  the  fulness  of  joy.  Blessed  be  God 
that  ever  I  was  born  !  Blessed  be  thou,  0  heavenly  Father, 
for  thy  sovereign  love !  Blessed  be  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  for  free  grace,  and  all  its  rich  rewards  of  glory  ! 
"  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


OP    THE  DAY    OF    JUDGMENT PERSONAL, AND    GENERAL  * 

AND    THE    FINAL    RESULTS    OF    EACH. 

"  Day  of  eternal  gain  for  worldly  loss  ! 
Day  of  etei'nal  loss  for  worldly  gain  ! 
Great  day  of  texTor,  vengeance,  wo,  distress  ! 
Rein-trying,  heart-investigating  day. 
Believing  day  of  unbelief !     Great  day, 
Great  triumph  day  of  God's  incarnate  son! 
Great  day  of  glory  to  Almighty  God  ! 
Day  !  whence  the  everlasting  years  begin 
Their  date — new  era  in  Eternity  : 
And  oft  referred  to  in  the  songs  of  heaven  !" 

POLLOK. 

There  is  a  two-fold  judgment  awaiting  us  at  the  bar  of 
God.  The  particular  judgment  is  that  which  awaits  each 
of  us  at  the  departure  of  the  soul  from  this  world,  at  death. 
The  body  descends  into  the  grave,  to  sleep  until  the  morn- 
ing of  the  last  day.  The  soul  departs  to  its  rest,  or  to  its 
doom  in  hell.  The  same  argument,  which,  as  we  have  seen, 
proves  that  souls  enter  immediately  after  death  into  heaven, 
or  into  hell,  do  also  prove  the  particular  judgment.  For  that 
is  nothing  more,  nor  less  than  the  sentence  of  the  Holy  Judge 
welcoming  the  ransomed  into  heaven  :  "  Well  done  good 
and  faithful  servant ;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  ;'' 
29 


334  OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT. 

or,  dooming  the  impenitent  by  a  voice  from  his  throne, — 
"  Depart  thou  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels." 

The  g*e?iera/ judgment  will  take  place  when  Christ  comes 
to  wind  up  the  affairs  of  the  world,  and  of  the  church.  At 
that  day,  sentence  will  be  passed  upon  us  as  persons, — not 
only  on  our  souls,  but  on  us  constituted  of  the  newly-raised 
body,  and  the  soul,  which  had  long  been  in  the  unseen 
state.  It  will  not  be  a  sentence  in  a  court  of  review.  It 
will  hold  up  the  sentence  pronounced  on  each  at  death ;  and 
on  each  who  did  not  die,  but  were  at  the  instant  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  "  changed  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye ;"  and  on  all  the  doomed  spirits  of  hell.  The 
sentence  of  each  will  be  uttered  on  every  ear  of  every  man,  of 
every  angel,  of  every  devil.  And  thus  Christ's  glory  will  be 
consummated  as  the  just  and  righteous  judge  :  and  thus  the 
government  of  God  will  be  approved  ;  and  every  rebel  hurl- 
ed into  the  pit  whence  they  never  will  escape. 

The  particular  judgment  is  going  on  in  the  invisible 
world  every  moment.  It  is  a  solemn  and  awful  thought, 
that  while  I  am  reading  these  words,  each  moment,  perhaps, 
witnesses  a  sentence  pronounced  on  a  departed  spirit. 

The  general  judgment  will  take  place  at  the  unrevealed 
hour  of  God.  We  can  only  say,  as  to  that  unrevealed  hour, 
that  it  will  not  take  place  until  the  glorious  Redeemer  has 
finished  his  work  of  providence,  and  grace.  The  destined 
number  of  God's  subjects,  and  God's  family,  must  be  com- 
pleted. The  Jew  must  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Mes- 
siah, their  fathers'  shepherd,  even  to  David  their  king.  The 
fulness  of  the  Gentile  world  must  be  gathered  in,  by  the  dif- 
fusion of  the  word  of  God,  read,  and  preached  by  the  minis- 
try, over  every  nation,  kingdom,  tongue,  and  country.  The 
spiritual  reign  of  Christ,  in  his  "  days  of  heaven  upon  earth," 
must  be  extended,  and  consummated  in  his  thousand  years 
universal  gospel  triumph.     The  kingdom  of  antichrist  must 


OF    THE    DAY    OF   JUDGMENT.  335 

be  annihilated,  and  Mohammed  destroyed,  to  usher  in  this 
millennial  glory  of  our  Immanuel.  Numerous  ages  must  roll 
on,  therefore,  before  the  dawn  of  the  day  of  judgment  shall 
burst  in  heavenly  glory  ;  and  in  tremendous  displays  to  the 
human  family. 

Christ  will  be  judge.  "  The  Father  judgethno  man  ;  but 
has  committed  all  judgment  to  the  eternal  Son."  This  is  a 
portion  of  his  glory  as  mediator;  because  he  is  the  son  of 
man.  And  it  is  because  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  equal  in 
power,  and  glory  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
he  has  omnipotence  and  omniscience  :  and  therefore  can  be 
the  judge,  and  luill  be  the  judge  of  the  quick,  and  the  dead. 

The  saints,  it  is  also  said,  will  judge  the  world.  They 
shall  be  by  him  who  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  as  his  as- 
sessors. They  will  listen  to  his  holy,  and  just  sentences 
decreed  from  his  throne  ;  and  they  will  repeat  them  ;  and 
re-echo  them  on  every  ear.  "  Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord, 
who  art,  and  wast,  and  shalt  be,  because  thou  hast  judged 
thus."  "  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be 
to  HIM  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb." 
And  the  wailing  of  the  doomed  will  proclaim  his  inflexible 
justice, — while  they  shall  say, — "  Mountains,  and  rocks, 
fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne  ;  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

Our  Lord  will  descend  through  these  visible  heavens  to 
this  judgment,  Acts  i.  11.  He  will  cleave  these  heavens, 
and  come  down  from  his  throne,  with  a  shout.  That  shout 
will  reach  every  spot  where  a  human  body  lies.  It  will  reach 
mountain  and  valley  ;  cities  and  villages  ;  and  the  deepest 
bed  of  every  river,  sea,  and  ocean,  where  sleeps  the  dust  of 
man.  And,  at  his  bidding,  all  shall  start  up  into  life.  He 
will  come  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel.  As  leader  him- 
self of  every  tribe  of  angels,  and  the  hosts  of  heaven,  he  will 
come,  surrounded  with  an  innumerable  retinue  of  angels, 
and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.     He  will  sound 


336  OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT. 

the  trumpet  of  God  :  he  will  utter  the  joyful  sound  of  the 
everlasting  jubilee  ;  it  will  re-echo  over  the  whole  globe,  as 
it  congregates  the  ransomed  to  the  city  of  glory,  in  their 
new-raised  bodies.  And  it  will  utter  the  last  war-note  of 
joyful  victory,  as  the  king  of  glory  leads  on  his  sacramental 
host  to  the  last  onset,  on  the  last  battle-field,  where  will  be 
destroyed  the  devil,  the  world,  and  sin,  and  death  ! 

"  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first," — first  in  order  of 
time,  probably  :  first  in  point  of  glory,  and  honour ;  first,  or 
before  the  other  arrangements  of  that  great  day. 

Then  the  immense  population,  who  are  alive,  and  remain 
on  the  earth,  at  that  day,  shall  be  caught  up  together,  with 
the  newly-raised,  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air. 
And  as  they  move  on  to  the  bar,  they  will  feel  themselves 
undergoing  a  change  equivalent  to  death,  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye.     1  Cor.  xv.  61,  62. 

In  an  instant,  when  the  last  body  shall  have  left  the  earth, 
fire  will  proceed  from  our  Lord's  right  hand,  and  envelope 
the  world  in  a  universal  conflagration.  And  from  its 
smouldering  ruins,  there  shall  spring  up  a  new  heavens,  and 
d  new  earth,  the  habitation  of  righteousness  ;  never  again 
to  feel  a  stain  of  sin  ;  nor  to  be  trodden  by  the  foot  of  the 
rebel.— 2  Peter,  iii.  12,  13. 

The  righteous  will  be  congregated,  on  our  Redeemer's 
right  hand ;  the  wicked  on  his  left.  They  have  parted  to 
meet  no  more.  They  look  upon  each  other  for  the  last  time. 
There,  on  each  side,  are  congregated  every  son,  and  daugh- 
ter of  Adam.  The  condition  of  each  will  be  set  forth : 
each  will  be  judged  according  to  the  deeds  he  did  on  the 
earth.  Each  of  his  saints  shall  receive  the  open  acknow- 
ledgment, and  glorious  plaudit, — "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father  ;  inherit  the  kingdom,  prepared  for  you  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world." 

The  wicked  will,  each,  undergo  the  most  rigid  exhibition 
and  examination  of  character  before  all  intelligent  beings. 


OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT.  337 

There  will  be  set  forth,  in  the  imiiidurable  blaze  of  divine  jus- 
tice, every  act  of  rebellion,  every  word  of  treason,  every  crime 
perpetrated,  every  speech  uttered  ;  every  book  written  against 
truth,  and  purity.  There  will  stand  the  long  line  of  tyrants, 
civil,  and  religious,  and  all  those  who  "waded  through  slaugh- 
ter to  their  thrones  !"  All  who  ruined  immortal  souls  by  er- 
ror and  heresies, — murderers  of  souk,  as  well  as  murderers 
of  bodies  !  And  each  will  receive  his  personal  sentence  be- 
fore every  eye, — "  Depart  thou  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil,  and  his  angels."  "Ye  knew  your 
duty  ;  but  ye  would  not  do  it !" 

And,  there  is  no  remanding  back,  in  postponement  of  the 
day  of  execution.  But,  as  rapidly  as  heaven's  thunderbolt 
pursues  the  flash,  and  unindurable  gleam  of  his  lightning,  so 
rapidly  will  the  horrible  execution  follow  the  utterance  of 
the  sentence ! 

The  lot  of  each  class  is  fixed  immutably.  The  duration 
of  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  is  described,  by  the  same 
term,  which  fixes  the  duration  of  God's  infinite  throne  ; 
and  the  glory  of  the  righteous.* 

And,  let  us  never  forget  that  there  is  in  sin,  a  self-perpetuat- 
ing power.  The  sinner  goes  on  voluntarily,  sinning, — and 
for  ever  sinning,  beyond  death  ;  and  beyond  the  final  judg- 

+  See  Math,  xxv,  46. 1  would  here  add,  that  the  peculiar  terms,  "  for 
EVER  AND  EVER,"  are  used  nineteen  times  in  the  Holy  Bible.  Of  these 
FIFTEEN  instances  I  find,  in  which  they  are  applied  to  the  divine  perfec- 
fections,  God's  glory,  and  government.  Once  are  they  used  to  des- 
cribe the  pei-petuity  of  the  saints'  glory.  Rev.  xxii.  5.  Twice  are 
they  employed  to  denote  the  duration  of  the  torments  of  the  damned. 
Rev.  xiv.  11;  xix.  3.  And  once  are  they  used  to  describe  the  dura- 
tion of  the  punishment  of  Satan,  and  the  false  prophet.  Rev.  xx.  10. 
Hence  the  meaning  of  the  terms  is  defined  and  fixed  immutably,  by  di- 
vine inspiration.  If  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  government  shall  ever 
come  to  an  end,  then  will  also  the  torment  of  the  doomed  reach  an  end ! 
For  they  are  both  "  for  ever  and  ever  !"  Their  duration  is  describ- 
ed by  the  same  phrase.  And  that  is  selected  and  used  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
29* 


338  OF    THE    DAY   OF    JUDGMENT. 

ment.  He  will  not  stop  sinning  here,  in  this  life,  where 
he  has  the  means  of  grace,  and  the  urgent  calls  of  his  maker 
to  repentance.  He  will  not  stop  sinning  in  hell.  There, — 
there, — are  no  more  calls  of  paternal  love;  no  more  visita- 
tions of  divine  mercy, — no  more  efforts  used  to  reclaim 
him  !  He  sins  for  ever,  and  thus  makes  his  hell  for  ever  ! 
Divine  justice  is  like  the  raging  fire.  TMiile  the  dry  stubble 
is  incessantly  swept  into  it, — it  will  burn  without  ceasing. 
It  is  the  law  of  its  nature.  While  the  sinner  unceasingly 
adds  to  his  infinite  guilt  of  crime,  he  constrains, — he  chal- 
lenges,— he  compels,  divine  justice  to  punish  him  for  ever 

AND    EVER ! 

aUESTIONS. 

Is  there  a  two-fold  judgment  awaiting  man  at  God's  bar? 

What  is  the  first?  Describe  it.  What  is  the  second? 
Describe  it. 

Is  the  particular  judgment  always  going  on  ? 

Recite  the  leading  and  great  events  which  must  take 
place  in  the  world,  before  the  general  judgment  will  take 
place. 

Who  will  be  judge  in  that  awful  day  ? 

In  what  sense  will  the  saints  be  judges  ? 

Will  the  judge  descend  from  heaven  ? 

Describe  his  descent,  with  his  attendants. 

Who  will  rise  first  ?     Explain  this. 

What  will  happen  to  the  living  population  then  upon 
the  earth  ? 

What  will  happen  after  all  the  dead  are  raised  ? 

WTiere  will  the  righteous  be  placed  ?  Where,  the  wick- 
ed? 

What  will  be  the  sentence  of  the  righteous  ? 

Describe  the  last  judgment  of  the  wicked. 

Is  the  sentence  on  each  class  absolutely  immutable  ? 

Will  the  sentence  be  forthwith  executed  on  the  wicked  ? 


i 


OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT.  339 

Does  not  the  wicked  man  himself  cause  his  hell  to  be  eter- 
nal ?     How  ? 

Is  there  in  sin  a  self-perpetuating  power  1 
What  is  the  necessary  and  practical  result  of  that  1 
Do  you  strive,  my  brother, — my  sister,  to  keep  these  two 
judgments  ever  before  your  eyes  1 

Are  you  prepared,  dear  reader,  to  meet  your  God? 
How  can  you  permit  yourself  to  yield  to  any  rest,  until  you 
have  used  every  means  faithfully  in  prayer,  to  obtain  habitual, 
and  actual  preparation  to  meet  your  Judge  ? 


A  MEDITATION. 


-"  Earth's  cup 


Is  poisoned  :  her  renown,  most  infamous; 

Her  gold,  seem  as  it  may,  is  really  dust ; 

Her  titles,  slanderous  names;  her  praise,  reproach  ; 

Her  strength,  an  idiot's  boast ;  her  wisdom,  blind  ; 

Her  gain,  eternal  loss  ;  her  hope,  a  dream  ; 

Her  love,  her  friendship,  enmity  with  God  ; 

Her  promises,  a  lie;  her  smile,  a  wanton's; 

Her  beauty,  paint,  rotten  within ;  her  pleasures, 

Deadly  assassins  masked;  her  laughter,  grief; 

Her  breasts,  the  sting  of  death ;  her  total  sum, 

Her  all,  most  utter  vanity  ;  and  all 

Her  lovers  mad  ;  insane  most  grievously ; 

And  most  insane,  because  they  know  it  not !" 

POLLOK. 

How  vain  are  all  earthly  things  !  These  heavens,  this 
earth,  these  bodies,  and  souls,  and  all  things  under  heaven, 
are  about  to  undergo  a  most  eventful  change  ! 

And  are  there  hvo  judgments  awaiting  me  !  Ah  !  well 
may  the  unbeliever  exclaim, — ^What !  two  judgments  await- 
ing me !"  Yes,  thoughtless  mortal !  there  are  indeed  hoo 
judgments  awaiting  thee,  at  that  bar,  whence  there  is  no 
appeal.  How  awful  the  thought !  How  deeply  impressive, 
and  solemn  the  lesson !     I  shall  be  carried  to  the  judgment- 


340  OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT. 

seat,  at  my  death.  My  soul  passes  away  silently  from  the 
chamber  of  death.  It  passes,  in  its  mysterious  pathway, 
into  the  eternal  state.  Angels  guide  it  to  the  bar  of  the 
Judge ;  who  cheer,  and  comfort  it,  in  its  new  and  untried 
circumstances.  The  pathway  is  rapidly  sped  to  the  divine 
tribunal ;  where  the  human  nature  of  my  Lord  and  Redeem- 
er is  on  the  throne.  From  that  throne  proceeds  my  sen- 
tence, and  the  sentence  of  every  man.  Oh !  what  an  ap- 
palling sight  to  the  rebel,  and  infidel.  There  they  will 
meet  face  to  face,  the  despised  Nazareue, — the  injured  and 
blasphemed  man  of  sorrow !  There  in  thee.  Son  of  God,  and 
their  judge,  covered  with  an  eternal  weight  of  glory,  will 
they  meet  the  despised  Jesus !  Who  can  conceive  their 
surprise, — their  confusion, — their  horror,  when  their  im- 
pious delusions,  having  all  instantly  vanished, — the  truth 
of  the  despised  One,  and  the  outraged  Bible,  shall  burst  in 
the  light  of  terrific  demonstration  on  their  wicked  minds  : 
and  when  they  shall  call, — and  call  in  vain, — on  the  moun- 
tains to  fall  on  them,  and  hide  them  from  his  face  ! 

0  my  soul !  what  new  wonders  lie  before  thee  :  the  won- 
ders of  the  dying  hour, — the  wonders  attending  thy  passage 
in  the  dark  valley, — the  sights  there  to  be  seen, — the  voices 
there  to  be  heard ! — Oh  !  the  awful  mysteries  attending  my 
passing  from  time,  into  eternity  !  The  mystery  of  the  con- 
voy of  angels  ;  their  converse,  and  communion  with  my 
disembodied  soul !  Oh  !  the  wonders  of  eternity,  and  its 
immortal  hosts,  as  they  burst  in  the  vision  of  glory,  upon 
my  newly-disembodied  spirit, — hovering,  and  trembling, — 
and  waiting  its  heavenly  welcome.  Oh !  the  wonders  of 
my  Redeemer's  presence.  I  shall  see  him,  as  he  is,  with 
my  strong  immortal  eyes !  I  shall  throw  myself  down  be- 
fore him.  He  will  lift  me  up.  He  will  wipe  away  every 
tear,  as  I  come  up  to  him,  bathed  in  the  tears  of  my  last 
agony.  1  shall  see  him  face  to  face  !  I  shall  behold  his 
glory  !     He  will  give  me  the  white  stone  and  new  name,  in 


OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT.  341 

the  church  triumphant.  He  will  present  me  before  the  eter- 
nal throne,  saying,  "  Here  am  I,  and  another  of  the  children 
thou  hast  given  to  me  !"  And  his  sentence  of  approbation 
will  put  me  in  possession  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  give  me 
an  introduction  to  all  the  host  of  heaven,  as  well  as  the  an- 
gels, and  all  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect.  0  my 
adorable  Redeemer  !  my  soul  springs  forward  to  meet  thee, 
the  joy  of  my  soul.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  in  thine 
own  time.  And  when  tliou  com  est,  let  my  soul  be  ravish- 
ed with  thy  presence,  as  thy  lips  repeat  the  sentence, — 
"  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou,  into  the 
joy  of  thy  Lord  !" 

And  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope  on  the  bed  of  death,  the 
silent  grave.  And  in  the  joyful  morning  of  the  great  day, 
it  will  hear  thy  voice,  and  respond  to  thy  call,  and  thy  quick- 
ening power.  I  shall  rise  from  the  grave  embraced  in  thy 
arms  of  love.  I  shall  be  caught  up  in  the  clouds  with  them, 
who  sleep  in  him.  I  shall  mingle  with  the  holy,  and  hap- 
py ones,  now  raised  in  their  glory,  and  waiting  their  final 
sentence.  Oh  !  illustrious  dawn  of  eternity  !  0  glorious 
hour  !  when  we  shall  hear  his  sentence, — "  Come  ye  bless- 
ed of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you, 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

Now,  all  the  ransomed  are  judged,  and  acquitted,  and 
applauded,  and  received  into  glory!  God  is  all  in  all. 
Christ  has  finished  the  administration  of  his  kingdom.  We 
are  all  at  home.  None  of  the  ransomed  are  missing.  The 
family  of  God  is  complete.  Now,  the  reign  of  eternal 
glory  is  begun.  And  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth  have 
sprung  up  from  the  smouldering  ruins  of  the  old  earth,  and 
the  old  heavens.  Now,  the  wicked,  and  every  enemy  are 
put  down,  and  doomed  :  "  and  God's  eternal  government 
approved."     Amen. 


342  OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT. 

A  PRAYER. 

Oh!  Holy,  and  Just  God,  my  judge,  I  throw  myself  at 
the  foot  of  thy  throne,  in  deep  humility.  I  am  thy  subject. 
Thou  hast  made  me.  Thou  hast  redeemed  me.  And  I  am 
dependent  on  thee,  as  a  creature,  and  as  a  Christian,  every 
moment.  0  eternal  Spirit !  source  of  spiritual  life,  and  of 
all  the  graces,  I  implore  thee  to  prepare  thy  poor  humble 
creature,  for  the  closing  scenes  of  life  ;  for  the  solemn  and 
awful  hour  of  my  death.  In  that  moment,  O  thou  Lord  of 
life !  be  very  near  to  my  fainting  spirit ;  and  my  dissolving 
nature.  O  Lord  God,  my  Redeemer !  when  thou  takest  my 
poor  trembling  frame  to  pieces, — Oh  !  do  it  in  love, — do  it 
in  pity — do  it  in  tender  compassion, — with  thy  own  gentle 
hand.  Spare  me.  Oh  !  spare  me  those  terrific,  racking 
pains  which  some  feel.  Oh  !  let  me  fall  gently  asleep,  and 
expire  in  thy  embrace,  and  on  thy  bosom,  my  dear  and 
faithful  Redeemer!  Help  me,  in  my  last  extremity,  to  put 
forth  the  last  and  expiring  energy  of  faith,  in  strong  love, 
committing  my  distressed  and  dying  body  into  thy  hands, 
to  be  by  thee  dissolved  in  the  grave.  This  dust,  0  Lord,  I 
commit  to  dust :  these  poor  ashes,  to  ashes  :  this  earth,  to 
earth.  This  blow,  I  confess,  falls  righteously  on  us,  on  ac- 
count of  our  sin.  The  house,  of  old,  when  infested  incur- 
ably by  the  leprosy,  was  commanded  to  be  pulled  down,  and 
scattered  in  fragments  on  the  earth  !  Even  so,  0  God, 
must  this  clay  tabernacle  of  mine  be  pulled  down,  and 
taken  to  pieces,  and  dissolved  in  the  dust.  This  must  be 
done,  0  righteous  Judge  !  effectually  to  destroy  the  leprosy 
of  sin  ! 

And  0,  eternal  Judge  !  let  my  disembodied  spirit,  when 
it  shall  be  overwhelmed  with  the  strange  novelty  of  its  new 
and  untried  position,  take  its  mysterious  flight  to  thy  pre- 
sence, in  the  abundance  of  thy  peace,  and  joy.  Let  the 
last  act  of  my  faith  in  thee,  be  succeeded  by  hope,  swal- 
lowed up  in  enjoyment.     To  thee,  0  my  Father,  and  my 


OP    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT.  343 

Redeemer,  let  it  humbly,  yet  confidently  approach.  Wash- 
ed by  the  Holy  Spirit,  from  its  last  stain  ;  and  the  last 
tear  being  dried  up,  which  was  wrung  from  me  by  the  dear 
beings  whom  I  leave  below — oh,  receive  me  into  thy  pre- 
sence !  O  let  me  hear  thy  approving  sentence  !  Let  me 
be  received  into  thy  palace  of  many  mansions  ;  to  be  one  of 
the  countless  millions  of  the  ransomed,  from  all  nations. 
Oh  !  transporting  happiness !  Oh  !  to  see  them  all  in  their 
glory  !  And  to  be  for  ever  with  them,  and  to  be  for  ever 
with  thee,  O  Lord  my  God ! 

My  flesh  will  slumber  in  the  grave  until  the  hour  of  my 
Saviour's  descent.  Oh  !  then  comes  the  hour  of  my  final 
redemption.  I  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ; 
and  awaken  by  his  power,  into  life.  And  in  this  new  life, 
I  shall  spring  forward,  with  everlasting  joy,  to  meet  him, 
and  receive  from  him,  there-union  of  my  newly-raised  body, 
to  my  long  glorified  soul.  What  a  moment  of  interest,  sur- 
prise, amazement,  joy,  and  rapturous  pleasure  !  Oh  !  the 
inefiable,  the  inconceivable  joy  of  this  meeting  of  soul  and 
body ! — And  at  thy  bar,  among  the  countless  millions  of  all 
flesh,  I  shall  be  ever  near  thee,  0  my  most  dear  and  blessed 
Redeemer  !  Perfect  love  will  then  have  cast  out  fear,  I 
shall  feel  thy  presence.  I  shall  hear  thy  enrapturing  words. 
I  shall  see  thy  glorious  face,  in  peace.  I  shall  witness  thy 
actions  with  a  thrill  of  divine  and  ineffable  ecstacy  !  And 
when  the  sentence  is  uttered,  "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Fa- 
ther !"  we  shall  mount  up, — we  shall  fly  on  wings  of  ever- 
lasting love,  to  the  mansions  prepared  by  thee,  0  dear  Re- 
deemer, for  them  that  love  thee ! 

And  now,  0  my  God  !  while  thy  patience  permits  me  to 
live  in  the  world,  may  I  never  neglect  one  duty.  Help  me 
to  spend  each  day,  as  if  I  were  conscious  that  it  might  be 
my  last.  Vouchsafe  to  me  thy  grace,  0  Lord,  that  I  may 
live  praying ;  that  I  may  patiently  fight  the  battles  of  the 
Lord,  praying  ;  that  I  may  die,  praying  ;  and  pass,  praying, 


344  OF    THE    DAY    OF    JUDGMENT. 

through  the  dark  valley,  and  enter  heaven  praying,  to  ap- 
peal" at  thy  judgment-seat.  Then,  0  Lord,  receive  me  to  the 
everlasting  fellowship  of  heaven.  And  to  God,  the  Father ;  to 
God  the  Son  ;  and  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  God  in  three 
distinct  and  divine  persons,  shall  be  present,  and  eternal 
glory;  Amen. 


END    OF    BOOK 


m 


BOOK  II. 


OF  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER 


30 


BOOK    II. 
PART  I. 

DOCTRINAL  INSTRUCTIONS  ON  THE  NATURE,  USES, 
AND  ENDS  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTRODUCTION A     BRIEF      SKETCH      OF      THE      DIFFERENT 

ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST,  THE  SUPREME  KING    AND  ONLY 
HEAD    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

"  The  Lord  is  our  judge  ;  the  Lord  is  our  lawgiver  ;  the  Lord  is  our 
king  ;  he  will  save  us."     Isaiah  xxxiii.  22. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  King  of  Zion.  He 
is  supreme.  He  reigns  with  uncontrolable  sovereignty,  and 
rich  grace.  For  he  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne ;  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  four  living  ones,  and  the  four  and  twenty 
elders ;  that  is, — the  ministry,  and  the  Holy  Catholic  Church 
of  the  Old,  and  the  New  Testament. 

The  world,  with  all  its  successive  generations  of  men,  is 
given  by  the  Father,  into  his  hands.  Psalms  ii.  7.  Hence 
the  whole  earth  is  the  theatre  of  his  governmental  acts,  and 
displays.  And  He  is  moving  on,  in  power,  and  with  in- 
creasing glory,  at  the  head  of  the  armies,  clothed  in  white, 
as  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  conquering  and  to 
conquer  !     His  divine  purposes  are,  to  gather  in  all  his  ran- 


348  INTRODUCTION. 

somed  children  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe ;  to 
abolish  utterly  every  idol ;  to  subdue  antichrist,  and  the 
false  prophet ;  and  rid  the  world  of  the  curse  ;  and  thence, 
to  fill  the  whole  earth  with  his  glory.  Then  will  come  the 
reign  of  the  saints  with  him  in  his  spiritual  dominion  upon 
earth,  for  a  thousand  years. 

In  this  spiritual  kingdom, — "  for  Christ's  kingdom  is  not 
of  this  world," — the  Holy  Spirit,  in  his  official  character, 
presides  as  the  prime  minister.  He  is  the  sole  author 
of  spiritual  life,  and  light,  and  holiness. 

Under  the  spiritual  regulation  of  the  Most  High,  the  holy 
angels  are  ministering  servants  in  his  kingdoms  of  nature 
and  grace ;  with  alacrity  doing  his  pleasure  ;  inflicting  ven- 
geance on  the  blasphemers  and  theSennacheribs  of  the  world; 
and  ministering  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  by  strengthening 
them  ;  by  cheering  them  in  the  hour  of  calamities,  and  heart- 
rending sorrows ;  by  watching  over  them  with  the  assidui- 
ties of  tenderest  love,  and  unwearied  care ;  by  repelling 
from  them  the  onsets  of  Satannic  temptations  ;  and  finally, 
by  conducting  their  pure,  disembodied  spirits  to  the  pre- 
sence of  Christ  in  heaven. 

And,  lastly,  there  are  his  ministers  on  earth.  These  are 
called  by  different  names,  according  to  their  distinctive 
duties.  They  are  called  pastors^  because  they  feed  the  flock 
of  God  ;  bishops,  because  they  inspect  and  rule  spiritually, 
the  particular  church  over  which  they  are  ordained : 
ministers,  because  they  serve  God  in  the  gospel,  and  guide 
men  with  afl?ectionate  care  to  the  Lord  of  grace,  and  life ; 
evangelists,  because  they  come  as  ambassadors  of  the  Lord, 
charged  with  messages  of  the  good  news  and  glad  tidings  of 
redemption. 

The  world  is  the  field  of  their  spiritual  operations.  Their 
divine  Master  lays  his  injunctions  on  them  to  go,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  of  the  human  family. 
And  in  due  time,  this  command  will  be  fully  complied  with. 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF  CHRIST.  349 

For  the  time  is  fast  approaching  when  every  nation,  and 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  under  heaven,  shall  be 
visited  with  the  tidings  of  G  od's  salvation. 

The  aim,  and  end  of  the  gospel  ministry  is  a  holy  and 
glorious  one.  It  is  no  less  than  the  divine  glory ;  and 
man's  salvation  ;  and,  thence,  the  overthrow  of  every  rebel, 
and  every  rebel's  deed :  together  with  the  extinction  of  all 
moral  evil  in  men's  souls  ;  and  in  the  world  at  large  ;  and, 
thence,  by  necessity,  the  extinction  of  human  suffering,  and 
misery ;  which  takes  place  happily,  in  each  individual  as 
they  are  made  holy,  and  are  removed  to  heaven  :  and  which 
takes  place,  also,  in  the  whole  human  family,  in  proportion 
as  Christ,  by  his  ministry,  and  the  means  of  grace,  fills  the 
world  with  his  glory,  and  sends  abroad  the  joys  of  peace, 
and  abounding  happiness. 

Having  mentioned  the  ministry,  we  are  led  to  notice  the 
divine  ordinances  of  Christ  dispensed  by  them. 

First: — The  Government  and  Discipline  of  the 
Church. 

To  suppose  that  the  supreme  King  of  Zion  would  l5ave 
his  kingdom  on  earth,  without  a  form  of  government  of  his 
own  choice  ;  or  that  he  would  leave  the  modelling  of  it  to 
the  sagacity,  or  caprice  of  men,  is,  at  once,  to  impeach  his 
divine  wisdom,  goodness,  and  sovereignty :  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  place  erring  mortals  on  his  throne,  to  share 
with  him  in  the  regal  acts  and  honours  of  his  government ; 
to  mingle  their  caprices  with  the  plans  of  his  supreme  wis- 
dom, and  invest  them  with  the  incommunicable  prerogatives 
of  his  divine  majesty.  Such  a  thing  the  Christian  ought 
not  to  deem  admissible  for  an  instant. 

Our  Lord  has  formally,  by  a  regal  act,  ordained  in  his 
Church,  teaching  elders,  who,  we  have  seen,  are  called 
pastors,  bishops,  and  ministers.  These,  who  are  duly  in- 
vested with  this  holy  office,  which  is  orsE,  and  peculiar  to 
each,  are  on  a  footing  of  perfect  equality  with  each   other. 

30* 


350  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

Christ  Jesus,  our  sovereign,  admits  of  no  lords,  or  superi- 
ors, lording  it  over  his  heritage.  The  apostle  Peter  claim- 
ed no  higher  honour  than  that  of  a  teaching  elder.  1  Peter 
V.  1. 

With  these,  he  has,  for  the  government  of  his  house, 
united  the  ruling  elders.  "  Let  the  elders  who  rule 
well,"  says  Christ,  by  his  inspired  Apostle, — "be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honour ;  especially  they  who  labour  in 
word,  and  doctrine." 

To  these  two  classes  of  officers  in  his  house,  he  has  add- 
ed that  of  the  deacon.  "  Let  them  use  the  office  of  a  dea- 
con." "  They  that  use  the  office  of  a  deacon  well,  pur- 
chase to  themselves  a  good  degree."  These,  as  is  manifest 
from  their  original  appointment,  were,  as  well  as  the  ruling 
elders,  laymen ;  whose  official  duties  were  to  attend  to  the 
daily  ministration  of  temporal  supplies  to  the  poor.  Acts 
vi.  1,  2. 

By  these  three  classes,  united  in  their  official  capacities, 
the  government  and  discipline  of  the  Church  are  duly  ad- 
ministered ;  these  respective  offices  conferred,  and  thence 
perpetuated  ;  the  walls  and  hedges  of  Zion  duly  guarded  ; 
the  invading  foes  repelled ;  the  profane  kept  out ;  the 
wanderer  reclaimed  ;  the  froward  rebuked  and  humbled  ; 
the  apostate  excluded  ;  and  the  sheep  and  lambs  of  the 
flock  led  forth  into  the  green  pastures,  in  peace,  order,  and 
purity,  under  the  divine  care,  and  refreshing  influences  of 
the  good  Shepherd  of  Israel. 

Second:  The  Reading  of  the  Scriptures. 

This  is  a  divine  ordinance  of  Christ,  making  it  our  posi- 
tive duty  to  read  them  in  the  closet,  in  the  family  circle,  in 
the  social  meeting  ;  and  in  a  peculiar  manner,  in  the  church 
in  public  worship.  Here  are  the  commands  of  our  sove- 
reign Lord, — "  Search  the  Scriptures."  "Whatsoever  things 
were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learning,  that 
we,  through  patience,  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST.  351 

have  hope."  "  The  holy  Scriptures  are  able  to  make  thee 
wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
<'  Till  I  come,  give  attendance  to  reading,  to  exhortation, 
to  doctrine."* 

The  word  of  God  is  designed,  and  fully  calculated  to 
lead  us  into  all  truth.  And  the  public  reading  of  it  in  the 
church,  by  the  ministers  of  Christ,  gives  an  authoritative,  and 
impressive  exhibition  of  the  mind  of  God,  set  forth  in  his 
doctrines,  and  promises  ;  and  of  his  will,  declared  in  his 
precepts,  and  ordinances.  And  as  the  public  ambassador  of 
a  sovereign,  officially  uttering,  in  public,  the  laws  of  his 
government  in  the  ears  of  the  people,  is  considered  as  the 
sovereign  himself  uttering  the  laws  :  so  the  ministry  pro- 
nounces the  laws,  and  doctrines  of  Jehovah,  our  king,  in 
his  name.  And,  the  holy  word,  thus  publicly  read,  in  our 
ears,  we  are  to  consider  as  the  voice  of  the  Almighty  Ruler, 
speaking  to  each  one  of  us  personally.  Hence,  we  do  well 
to  take  heed  to  it.  For  in  neglecting  it,  we  wrong  our  own 
souls,  and  sin  against  God.  And  when,  with  open  face, 
we  do  behold,  in  this  word,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  we  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory 
to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  And  there  is  this 
peculiarity  in  God's  words,  whether  they  are  uttered  in  na- 
ture, in  providence,  or  in  redemption  ;  namely, — there  is 
virtue  attending  them,  and  an  efficacy  that  is  divine  and  in- 
vincible. "  Let  there  be  light."  And  divine  power  went 
forth,  and  created  light.  "  Stretch  forth  thy  hand,"  said 
Christ.  And  divine  power  went  with  that  word,  and  cured 
the  withered  hand.  "  Be  ye  converted  :" — said  Christ, — 
'<■  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  along  with  the 
word  thus  uttered,  he  sends  his  quickening  grace,  and  heals 
our  souls.  With  deep  solemnity,  therefore,  should  every 
pastor  read  officially,  in  public,  the  word  of  God  ;  and  eve- 

*  John  V.  39.    Rom.  xv.  4.    2  Tim.  iii.  15,  16,  17.    1  Tim.  iv.  13. 


352  THE    ORDINANCES    OP    CHRIST. 

ry  head  of  a  family,  in  private.  And  with  a  grave  and 
cheerful  solemnity,  should  every  one  listen  to  it,  as  if  he  were 
listening  to  Jehovah's  awful  voice  thundered  from  Sinai ; 
or  repeated  in  accents  of  love  from  the  mercy-seat.  And 
all  this  being  duly  complied  with,  we  may  with  confidence, 
look  for  God's  choice  blessings,  and  the  happiest  results 
from  devout  attention  to  this  efficacious  ordinance.  For, 
"  the  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul :  the  tes- 
timony of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple  :  the 
statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart:  the  com- 
mand of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the  eyes."  Psalm 
xix.  7,  8. 

Third  : — The  singing  of  praise  aloud  to  God  with  sa- 
cred music. 

This  is  a  highly  important  and  peculiarly  interesting  or- 
dinance of  God ;  to  be  performed  in  the  assemblies  of  his 
Church.  It  is  enjoined  expressly  by  his  authority  ;  and  is 
enforced  by  the  divine  example  of  Christ  himself.  Here  I 
request  you  to  read  Psalm  xcv.  Math.  xxvi.  30.  Col.  iii. 
15,  and  Ephes.  v.  19. 

In  this  ordinance,  we  celebrate  the  praises  of  the  Most 
High :  and  we  utter  our  joy  in  him  as  our  Creator,  and  Re- 
deemer, with  our  gratitude  for  all  his  various  mercies.  It 
must  be  done  with  grave,  decent,  and  appropriate  music. 
It  must  be  done  in  faith  ;  with  pure  minds  ;  wfth  fixed  at- 
tention ;  with  profound  reverence ;  and  the  deepest  sinceri- 
ty of  heart.  And  there  is  something  in  this  heavenly  part 
of  our  devotion  peculiarly  touching  and  interesting  to  every 
pious  soul.  It  soothes,  and  cheers,  and  tranquilizes  the 
troubled  mind.  It  rouses  into  a  divine  ecstacy  of  delight ; 
and  elevates  the  soul  on  wings  of  love,  and  desire  to  God.  It 
melts  the  obdurate  heart,  and  causes  the  waters  of  sorrow 
to  flow  from  the  stricken  rock.  It  is  the  means  of  com- 
bining, and  concentrating  the  devotion  of  the  church. 
Hereby,  the  whole  body  of  christian  worshippers  unite   in 


THE    ORDINANCES    OP    CHRIST.  363 

Uttering  one  song,  at  the  same  instant,  and  as  it  were,  by 
one  mouth,  the  same  divine  words  of  praises  to  God  ;  and 
as  Christians  entertaining  the  same  feelings  of  love  to  one 
another  ;  and  the  same  sentiments  and  feelings  toward  God, 
of  faith,  love,  and  joy. 

And  as  the  cloud  of  incense  of  old,  ascended,  in  one 
volume,  toward  heaven, — so  do  the  lips,  and  the  hearts  of  the 
faithful  worshippers  in  the  church  collectively,  offer  up,  as  one 
body,  and  one  mind,  the  pure  incense  of  love,  adoration, 
and  praise  to  the  Lord  God  of  Zion. 

There  is  another  use  of  praise  by  the  hallowed  song  and 
psalm.  We  are  often  called  on  to  sing  the  penitential 
psalm  ;  the  song  of  triumph  ;  and  at  other  times,  to  express 
other  sentiments  by  the  psalm  or  hymn,  which  do  not  seem 
exactly  to  accord  with  the  present  exercises  of  our  souls. 
But,  let  it  be  remembered  that  we  unite  with  the  church, 
and  in  the  private  circle  at  the  family  altar,  in  singing  these 
words  and  sentiments,  in  order  to  beget  in  our  souls  these 
holy  exercises.  In  review  of  sin,  we  sing  the  penitential 
psalm  to  melt  the'soul  into  penitential  sorrow.  In  the  hour 
of  languor  and  overwhelming  discouragements,  we  sing  the 
triumphant  song  of  Zion,  to  rouse  our  souls  into  holy  joy, 
and  exultation,  in  God  our  Saviour  ;  and  to  stir  up  the  de- 
pressed souls  around  us,  to  a  like  vigorous  faith,  and  renew- 
ed efforts  to  shake  off  doubts  and  fears.  Hence,  we  teach 
and  admonish  each  other  in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spirit- 
ual songs,  singing  with  grace  in  our  hearts."  And  thus, 
"  we  make  sweet  melody  in  our  hearts  to  the  Lord,"  and 
also  cause  sweet  melody  to  spring  up  in  the  hearts  of  our 
brethren  ;  and  disperse  the  gloom  of  fears  from  the  discon- 
solate heart.  Hence,  every  Christian  should  sing  aloud  be- 
fore the  Lord  for  God's  glory,  for  his  own  spiritual  benefit, 
and  the  edification  of  every  one  around  him.  Hence,  it  is 
as  much  a  man's  duty  to  learn  to  sing,  as  it  is  his  duty  to 
learn  to  read  the  Bible.     And,  I  repeat  the  earnest  words  of 


354  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

the  great  and  holy  President  Edwards  : — "  Those,  therefore, 
where  there  is  no  natural  inability  of  voice,  who  neglect  to 
learn  to  sing,  do  actually  live  in  sin,  as  they  do  really  neg- 
lect what  is  necessary  to  their  attending  to  one  of  the  or- 
dinances of  God's  worship." 

Fourth  : — Prayer  is  another  most  important  ordinance. 

Herein  the  Most  High  admits  us  to  an  audience  at  the 
foot  of  his  throne.  In  this  we  are  not  only  indulged  in  a 
blessed  and  very  delightful  privilege,  but  are  by  his  un- 
speakable grace,  commanded  to  come  into  his  gracious  pre- 
sence, to  receive  the  divine  and  refreshing  blessings  which 
he  confers  on  his  ransomed,  and  reclaimed  children  ! 

The  duty  of  prayer  includes  in  it  a  devout  adoration  of 
God's  glorious  perfections,  as  they  shine  forth  in  all  his 
purposes,  and  the  works  of  nature,  and  his  divine  provi- 
dence, and  his  kingdom  of  grace.  In  it  we  lay  bare  our 
hearts  before  God.  We  must  come  with  the  deepest  peni- 
tence for  sin,  while,  by  faith,  we  cling  to  Christ,  and  breathe 
with  contrition,  the  confession  of  our  sins.  In  it,  we  make 
a  spiritual  offering  of  our  desires  to  God  for  things  agreeable 
to  his  will ;  both  temporal  and  spiritual.  And  we  come  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  guidance,  and  aid  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Our  Redeemer  is  the  altar  on  which  we  present 
our  persons,  and  services,  and  prayers.  And  the  spirit  is 
the  holy  fire  from  heaven,  without  which  no  sacrifice,  or 
offering  can  come  up  with  acceptance  before  our  Father  in 
heaven.  And,  feeling  deeply  for  our  brethren,  and  friends, 
and  all  mankind,  we  make  earnest  intercession  for  others 
an  important  part  of  prayer.  And  finally,  thanksgiving  for 
all  our  mercies,  is  also  as  necessary  as  confession.  By 
the  one,  we  take  shame  to  ourselves  :  by  the  other,  we  give 
glory  to  God.  By  the  one,  we  abase  the  creature  :  by  the 
other,  we  exalt  the  Creator,  and  Redeemer.  "  In  humbly 
petitioning  favours  from  God,  we  act  in  a  manner  becoming 
his  dependent  creatures :  in  confession,  in  a  manner  becom- 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST.  366 

ing  poor  sinners  :  in  thanksgiving,  in  a  manner  becoming 
angels  ;"  in  interceding  for  others,  in  a  manner  becoming 
the  imitators  of  Christ. 

Fifth : — The  Preaching  of  the  Gospel. 

This  is  an  all-important  ordinance  of  Christ ;  and  has  his 
choicest  and  most  efficacious  blessings  attending  it.  "  The 
spirit  of  God  makes  the  reading,  but  especially  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word,  an  effectual  means  of  convincing  and  con- 
verting sinners  ;  and  of  building  them  up  in  holiness,  and 
comfort,  through  faith  unto  salvation." 

Hence,  to  the  divine  commission  given  to  his  ministry, 
did  he  subjoin  his  gracious  promise  of  his  perpetual  pre- 
sence, and  efficacious  power.  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  gospel  to^every  creature  :  lo !  I  am  with  you, 
alway,  to  the  end  of  the  world."  "  He  that  believeth,  and  is 
baptized,  shall  be  saved.  He  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned!"     Math,  xxviii.  19,  20.     Mark  xvi.  16. 

Hence,  the  ministers  of  Christ  publicly  present  them- 
selves as  his  ambassadors  ;  and  declare  officially,  in  the  as- 
semblies of  the  people,  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  "  We 
are  ambassadors  for  Christ :  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 
by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  unto 
God."  And  a  living  and  abiding  testimony  is  given  to  the 
message.  Paul,  speaking  of  "  the  preaching  of  the  gospel," 
declares  it  to  be  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to  every 
one  that  believeth."  Hence,  the  ministers  of  Christ  are  a 
sweet  savour  of  Christ  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in  them 
that  are  lost.  To  the  one,  we  are  the  savour  of  death  unto 
death  :  and  to  the  other,  the  savour  of  life  unto  life."  And 
hence,  to  them  who  are  saved,  the  preaching  of  the  cross  of 
Christ  is  the  power  of  God."  And  although  the  preaching 
of  the  cross  of  Christ  is  foolishness  in  the  eyes  of  the 
proud,  the  vicious,  and  the  sceptic :  nevertheless,  by  that 
same  foolishness  of  preaching,  does  God  save  them  that 
believe. 


356  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

To  this  divine  testimony,  we  add  the  witness  given  to 
the  efficacy  of  the  gospel  by  the  life,  and  death  of  the  in- 
numerable multitude  of  the  saints  in  heaven  :  and  that  being 
now  given  to  its  divine  efficacy,  by  the  whole  congregation 
of  the  saints  on  earth ;  which  are  "  the  epistle"  of  the  re- 
commendation of  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  "written  in 
their  hearts,  known,  and  read  of  all  men." 

To  this  important,  and  solemn  service,  the  ministry  must 
bring  every  necessary  qualification.  They  must  bring  to 
the  service  of  their  divine  master,  the  minds  which  He  has 
given  them,  cultivated  and  invigorated,  in  the  highest  de- 
gree, by  literature  and  science.  They  must  bring  into 
his  service,  minds  under  the  unction,  and  abiding  influence 
of  an  enlightened  zeal,  and  most  ardent  piety.  They  must 
bring  minds,  and  hearts  imbued  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible,  daily  read,  and  deeply  pondered,  and  thoroughly  di- 
gested. 

The  MATTER  of  their  message  is  the  whole  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  they  must  rightly  divide  the  words  of  truth ; 
and  give  each  one  their  portion,  in  due  season.  They 
must  study  to  select,  and  exhibit  what  is  suitable  to  every 
class  of  hearers.  They  must  adapt  their  messages,  to  the 
young,  and  inexperienced,  whose  characters  are  forming  : 
and  to  those  just  entering  on  the  business  of  life,  with  all  its 
temptations  and  trials.  And  they  must  labour  to  take  pos- 
session of  their  young  minds,  by  the  truth,  and  love  of  Je- 
sus. They  must  denounce  the  criminal  ways  of  the  vicious, 
the  stout-hearted,  and  fool-hardy  infidel.  They  must  bring 
their  portion  of  mental  nourishment  to  the  vigorous,  and 
lively  Christian,  whom  they  feast  with  strong  meat.  And 
the  young  and  feeble  babes  in  Christ,  they  must  feed  with 
the  sincere  milk  of  the  word.  To  those  who  ruin  their 
peace  by  secret  sins,  they  must  administer  sharp  and  alarm- 
ing rebukes.  The  backslider,  and  the  prodigal  they  must 
study  and  labour  to  reclaim  by  all  that  is  awful,  and  fasci- 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST.  367 

nating  in  truth ;  and  by  every  eifort  of  tenderness,  and  se- 
verity. In  their  Master's  spirit,  they  must  preach  good 
tidings  to  the  meek  :  they  must  bind  up  the  broken-heart- 
ed :  they  must  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captive,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  prison  door  to  them  that  are  bound."  They 
must  show  to  the  mourner  in  Zion,  what  the  compassionate 
Saviour  has  appointed  unto  them,  in  his  kingdom  here,  and 
in  heaven  :  even  beauty,  and  joy,  and  praise ;  while  he 
takes  away  all  defilement,  and  all  causes  of  mourning,  and 
heaviness.     Is.  Ixi.  1,  2,  3. 

In  their  manner,  they  must  deport  themselves  befitting 
the  ambassadors  of  God  to  dying  men.  They  must  study 
to  adapt  the  manner  to  the  present  audience  :  and  the  pecu- 
liar nature  of  the  present  message.  They  must  labour  to 
combine  gravity,  and  warmth.  They  must  exert  all  the 
powers  of  gospel  eloquence,  in  instructing,  in  convincing, 
in  persuading.  They  must  seek  to  be  clothed  with  hu- 
mility ;  to  avoid  harshness  ;  and  to  speak  the  truth  in  love. 
They  must  be  impressively  earnest.  Life  and  death  hang 
upon  the  message.  In  presenting  doctrines,  and  meeting 
objections,  they  must  be  argumentative,  and  luminous.  In 
denouncing  the  terrors  of  the  law  against  sin,  error,  and  vice, 
they  must  skilfully  combine  modesty  on  their  own  part ; 
boldness  for  God,  and  tenderness  for  perishing  souls.  They 
must  imitate  the  beloved  Apostle,  in  his  love,  and  pity  ;  and 
his  boldness,  as  Boanerges,  the  son  of  thunder!  And  in  a 
pre-eminent  manner,  they  must  set  before  them  the  entire 
example  of  their  Divine  Master,  Christ.  They  must  dis- 
play invincible  courage,  and  fidelity  :  habitual  devotion  ;  a 
holy  indifference  to  the  world  ;  its  applause,  and  its  frowns  ; 
steadfastness  in  watching  over  their  own  spirits,  and  lives  : 
together  with  overcoming  love,  and  all  becoming  courtesy  ; 
and  a  weeping  tenderness  toward  the  poor  and  disconsolate. 
And,  finally,  they  must  be  deeply  experimental ;  "  bringing 
out  of  their  treasure  things  new,  and  old ;"  for  the  convic- 

31 


358  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

tion  and  regeneration  of  sinners  ;  and  the  edification  of  the 
saints. 
Sixth  : — Baptism  in  the  name  of  the  triune  god. 

This  is  another  institution  of  our  Lord,  peculiarly  solemn. 
In  the  old  church,  the  seal  of  initiation  and  membership  was 
circumcision,  which  was  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  God 
by  faith.*  But,  under  the  New  Testament  church,  we  are 
introduced  by  baptism,  into  the  visible  church,  our  member- 
ship publicly  avouched  ;  and  our  spiritual  rights  and  bles- 
sings secured  to  us,  by  the  rich  grace  of  our  covenant  God. 

The  pastor  baptizes  us  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  element  used  as  the 
sacramental  sign,  and  seal  of  our  Redeemer's  blood,  is  simply 
pure  water,  alone,  without  any  additions,  or  admixture 
whatever.  And  this  is  applied  to  the  body  by  immersion, 
or  by  sprinkling  ;  as  is  deemed  prudent,  and  most  safe  for 
the  individual  concerned.  For,  as  we  lay  no  stress  on  the 
quantity  of  bread  and  wine  used  in  the  Lord's  Supper — the 
smallest  portion  being  enough  :  even  so  we  lay  no  stress 
on  the  quantity  of  water  used  in  baptism. 

The  baptism  with  water  is  never,  for  a  moment,  to  be 
confounded  with  the  baptism  of  the  spirit  in  regeneration. 
The  type  or  symbol,  is  not  the  thing  signified  by  it.  The 
outward  sign  is  not  the  inward  grace.  We  must  guard 
against  this  irrational  and  impious  error.  It  is  a  doctrine 
put  forth  by  antichrist.  He  has  pronounced  the  bread  and 
the  wine  to  be  really  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  Un- 
der the  same  fatal  delusion  has  he  declared  the  sacramental 
use  of  the  water  in  baptism,  to  be  nothing  less  than  the 
inward  grace  of  regeneration  !  Upon  the  same  absurd 
principle,  might  I  affirm  that  the  words  of  the  minister 
preaching  Christ,  are  not  the  outward  means  of  con- 
veying knowledge  ;  but  are,  in  reality,  the  very  grace  itself 

♦  Rom.  iv.  11. 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST.  369 

of  the  Lord  of  the  gospel.  Besides,  we  have  a  case  of 
satisfactory  refutation  of  this  impious  doctrine,  in  the  Acts, 
eh.  viii.  Simon  Magus  was  duly  baptized  with  water  by 
Philip.  Was  he  truly  regenerated  by  the  inward  grace  ? 
Let  the  result  give  the  answer.  The  apostle  Peter  pro- 
nounced him  an  impious  impostor,  still  "  in  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness, and  bond  of  iniquity,"  after  he  was  baptized.  Bap- 
tism, therefore,  is  by  no  means  the  same  thing  as  spiritual 
regeneration. 

The  baptism  by  water,  sacramentally  exhibits  the  blood 
of  Christ,  which,  alone,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  And  by 
the  divine  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  does  sacramentally 
apply,  and  seal  it  to  the  souls  of  all  believers. 

The  divine  privilege  of  baptism,  we  believe,  is  also  ex- 
tended to  infants,  who  were,  from  the  days  of  Abraham,  the 
father  of  all  the  faithful,  made  members  of  the  church,  and 
declared,  by  our  covenant  God,  to  be  members.  "I  am  thy 
God,  and  the  God  of  thy  children."  We  do  receive  and 
practise  "  believers*  baptism.  But  the  right  of  adults  to 
that  important  privilege,  can  no  more  be  supposed  to  take 
away  the  right  of  infants,  than  adult  salvation  can  preclude 
infant  salvation  ! 

Indeed,  the  warrant  to  baptize  infants,  is  given  in  terms 
as  express  and  direct,  as  that  to  baptize  adults.  Here  are 
the  words  of  our  Lord  : — "  Go  ye  and  teach,"  that  is,  make 
disciples*  of,  "  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Now, 
there  is  no  "  direct  or  express"  mention  made  here  of  men  : 
must  we  exclude  them  ?  There  is  no  "  direct  and  express" 
mention  made  of  women :  must  we,  therefore,  exclude  them  1 
There  is  no  "direct  and  express"  mention  made  of  infants; 
must  we,  thence,  exclude  them  ?  No  :  we  are  positively  en- 
joined to  baptize,  first,  all  kinds  of  persons  who  constitute  a 

♦  Ma0jjr«v(7are,  make  ye  disciples.    Matt,  xxviii.  19. 


360  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

nation.  But,  a  nation  is  made  up  of  infants,  men,  and  wo- 
men. Therefore  infants  have  as  direct,  and  as  express  a 
warrant  to  receive  this  holy  sacrament,  as  have  men,  and  wo- 
men. And,  second,  all  who  are  disciples,  must  be  baptized. 
But,  infants  are,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  declared  to  be  disciples. 
This  is  clearly  set  forth  in  Acts  xv.  No  one  will  question 
that  infants-  were  circumcised  of  old.  Now,  these  same 
infants  does  the  Apostle  call  ^'^  disciples."  For,  in  pleading 
that  circumcision  had  given  way  to  baptism,  which  was 
nqw  appointed  in  its  place,  he  maintains  that  infants  and 
adults  must  no  longer  be  circumcised.  "  Why  tempt  ye 
God,  to  put  a  yoke  on  the  neck  of  the  disciples  ?"  Hence, 
infants  must  be  baptized. 

"But,  God  has  connected  baptism  with  faith  and  repent- 
ance. Hence  infants,  who  have  neither,  should  not  be  baptiz- 
ed." We  admit  the  premises ;  but  deny  the  conclusion.  God 
requires  faith  and  repentance  of  adidts,  in  order  to  their  bap- 
tism. But,  the  present  question  is  not  about  them,  but 
about  infants  alone.  God  has  also  connected  salvation 
with  faith  and  repentance.  Are  we  to  exclude  infants  from 
salvation,  who  have  neither  of  those  graces  ?  This  argu- 
ment is,  therefore,  purely  a  sophism.  For  it  concludes 
equally  againt  infant  salvation,  and  infant  baptism  ! 

"But,  what  knows  an  infant  about  sprinkling,  or  baptism 
with  water  ?"  I  ask,  in  return,  what  does  an  infant  know  of 
original  sin  in  Adam,  by  virtue  of  which  he  dies,  before 
the  commission  of  one  act  of  sin  ?  What  knows  an  infant 
of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  which  its  tender 
soul  is  made  meet  for  heaven  ]  What  knows  an  infant  of 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  which  it  obtains  its  right  and  title  to 
heaven  1  Are  we  to  deny  the  inward  grace  and  salvation 
to  infants,  because  they  know  nothing  of  their  Creator, 
their  Redeemer,  and  holy  baptism  ? 

I  conclude,  in  the  words  of  the  pious  and  learned  Dr. 
John  Owen  : — "Why  is  it  the  will  of  God  that  unbelievers 


THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST.  361 

should  not  be  baptized  ?  It  is  because,  not  granting  them 
the  grace,  he  will  not  grant  them  the  sign.  If  God,  then, 
deny  the  sacramental  sign  to  the  infants  of  believers,  it  must 
be  because  he  denies  them  the  grace  of  it.  And,  thence, 
upon  this  principle,  all  the  children  of  believing  parents, 
dying  in  infancy,  must,  without  hope,  be  eternally  lost.  I 
do  not  say  that  all  must  be  lost,  who  are  not  baptized  :  but, 
all  must  be  lost  whom  god  would  not  have  baptized." 
But  we  now  arrive  at  the  last  of  the  Divine  Ordinances,  the 
most  solemn  of  them  all, — the  communion. 


31* 


CHAPTER  II. 


"  This  do  ye  in  remembrance  of  me." 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

This  is  aaother  ordinance  of  our  Lord.  And  this  is  the 
main  subject  of  our  present  discussion. 

As  an  ordinance  of  God  is  deeply  solemn  in  proportion 
as  it  gives  an  extraordinary  exhibition  of  God's  love  in 
Christ :  and  is  an  impressive  seal  of  the  new  covenant, — 
the  Lord's  Supper  is,  of  course,  one  invested  with  the  deep- 
est solemnity.  At  all  times  are  we  to  approach  God  with 
the  greatest  reverence,  and  humility.  But,  there  are  seasons 
and  ordinances  in  which,  like  Moses  and  Joshua,  we  must 
"  put  off  our  shoes  from  off  our  feet,  for  the  place  we  stand 
on  is  holy  ground."  And,  such  is  the  Holy  Supper  of  the 
Lord.  Herein  is  given  to  the  church,  the  fullest  and  most 
impressive  exhibition  of  the  love  of  Christ  in  his  sufferings 
and  death  for  us.  Herein  we  make  our  nearest  approach 
to  the  foot  of  God's  throne.  Herein  we  have  the  channel 
of  an  extraordinary  communion  opened  up  between  God, 
and  our  souls.  And,  in  order  to  enjoy  it  aright,  and  glorify 
our  God,  a  searching  preparation  of  heart,  and  great  sancti- 
ty of  soul,  and  of  life,  are  required  on  our  part. 


THE  lord's  supper.  363 

HISTORY    OF    THIS    DIVINE    INSTITUTION. 

Our  Lord,  the  only  king  and  head  of  the  church,  es- 
tablished in  the  ancient  church  of  the  Jewish  economy  a 
complete  system  of  laws,  and  ordinances.  The  moral  laws 
enacted  by  him  remain  the  same,  unchangeable,  as  our  rule 
of  duty.  The  ceremonial  code  of  laws,  and  rites,  was 
given  to  guide  his  chosen  people  to  Messiah,  who  was  about 
to  come.  By  these  sacramental  rites  was  the  believing 
Jew  directed  to  Christ,  the  only  Saviour  of  men.  And  in  the 
faith  of  him  he  died,  and  entered  into  heaven. 

But  these  ceremonial  rites  \v  ere  to  vanish  away  before 
Messiah,  when  come  in  the  flesh.  The  dim  moonlight 
shadows  must  vanish  away,  when  the  full  glory  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  shone  out  upon  Zion.  Accordingly,  as 
our  Lord  approached  the  cross,  and  the  closing  act  of  the 
consummation  of  our  redemption,  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self, every  portion  of  that  ancient  ceremonial  institution, 
which  prefigured  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  our 
one,  great,  and  perfect  sacrifice,  began  to  recede,  and  vanish 
away.  Every  sacrifice  of  the  altar  was  to  cease  for  ever. 
The  substance  of  all  these  shadows  now  stood  visibly  be- 
fore the  church.  The  one,  true,  and  all-perfect  sacrifice 
was  then,  actually  being  offered  up.  The  glory  of  its'  per- 
fection, and  acceptance,  shone  forth  in  a  thousand  bright 
manifestations.  It  admitted  of  no  additions.  It  was  in- 
finitely perfect.  It  was  never  to  be  repeated  in  reality,  or 
in  figure. 

The  passover  of  the  Jews  was  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  to 
God.  The  lamb  was  a  type  of  Christ,  "  the  Lamb  of  God," 
who  has  come ;  and  has  taken  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  And, 
like  the  other  peace-oflferings,  it  was  a  feast  upon  a  sacri- 
fice. The  church  of  God,  after  having  witnessed  the 
pascal  lamb  roasted  in  the  fire,  but  not  consumed,  did  as- 
semble to  feast  upon  it.     And  every  one   who  did  eat  of 


364  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

that  lamb,  was  considered  to  have  the  same  benefit  of  the 
atoning  sacrifice,  as  he  had  who  did  personally  offer  the  sa- 
crifice for  himself.  Hence,  nothing  can  be  more  manifest 
than  this  fact  hereby  exhibited,  and  sealed  to  us  sacrament- 
ally,  that  he  who  partook  by  faith,  of  the  visible  symbols, 
which  represented  Christ,  the  one,  only,  and  all-perfect  pa- 
crifice  for  us,  did  actually  partake  of  the  divine  benefit  of 
that  sacrifice  of  Messiah,  as  really,  and  as  certainly  as  if  he 
had  given  an  accepted  sacrifice  for  himself. 

I  do  not  say  that  he  could  ever  have  given  any  thing 
like  an  accepted  sacrifice  for  himself.  But,  I  do  say,  that, 
according  to  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  substitution,  on 
which  the  whole  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  based,  and 
which  is  here  distinctly  recognized,  every  believer,  by  vir- 
tue of  his  partaking  of  Christ's  sacrifice,  is  viewed  as  being 
as  really  accepted,  and  pardoned,  and  justified,  as  if  he  had 
personally  given  all  the  requisite  satisfaction  for  himself, 
unto  God. 

Such  were  the  outward  forms  of  the  Church's  solemn  fes- 
tivals of  old,  and  down  to  the  time  of  our  Lord's  advent. 
But,  the  time  came  when  all  these  ceremonies,  sealed  by  the 
blood  of  typical  victims,  were  to  cease,  and  vanish  away. 

Hence,  our  Lord,  on  the  evening  preceding  his  death, 
gave  a  gracious  display  at  once,  of  his  love,  and  his  supreme 
authority.  He  abolished  the  passover,  and  all  the  other  an- 
cient sacrifices.  And  in  their  stead,  he  ordained  another 
institution,  never  to  be  revoked  in  time.  "  He  took  bread  ; 
he  took  wine."  By  these,  he  for  ever  superseded  the 
flesh  of  the  paschal  lamb,  and  all  its  sacrificial  accompani- 
ments. And  he  enacted  this  law  to  his  true  disciples,  in  all 
times,  present  and  future  : — "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of 
me."  That  is,  instead  of  the  flesh  of  the  paschal  lamb,  or 
any  other  sacrifice,  roasted  on  the  altar,  you  shall  henceforth 
use  bread,  and  wine.  And  you  shall  eat  bread,  and  drink 
wine,  in  remembrance  of  me.     And,  appealing  to  the  love 


THE  lord's  supper.  365 

and   fidelity  of  his  church,  he  added, — "  Do  this  until  I 
come  again." 

Such  is  the  interesting  origin  of  this  most  holy  ordinance. 
He  who  called  to  Adam  in  the  garden,  and  vouchsafed  to  our 
race  the  first  opening  rays  of  divine  hope  to  our  condemned 
and  trembling  parents  ;  He  who  placed  Noah  in  the  ark, 
and  thereby  saved  the  church ;  He  who  called  Abraham, 
and  made  him  the  father  of  all  the  faithful ;  He  who  brought 
the  church  out  of  Egypt  by  a  memorable  triumph  ;  He  who 
dried  up  the  Red  Sea  before  his  ransomed  host ;  He  who  pro- 
nounced in  thunder,  his  law  from  Sinai ;  and  delivered  his 
ordinances  by  Moses,  to  his  church  ;  He  who  led  his  chosen 
people  through  the  wilderness,  and  dried  up  Jordan  before 
them  ;  and  brought  them  into  the  promised  land  ;  He  who 
gave  to  the  Church  her  patriarchs,  her  priests,  and  prophets  ; 
He  who  delivered  all  his  divine  doctrines,  laws,  and  ordi- 
nances by  divine  inspiration,  through  the  holy  men  of  God, 
who  spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  He 
who  bought  his  church  by  his  own  blood ;  He  who  sits  in 
heaven,  enthroned  in  Zion,  and  invested  with  all  power  in 
heaven,  and  on  earth, — He,  our  sovereign  king,  has  ordain- 
ed this  most  holy  ordinance,  and  has  stamped  the  seal  of 
his  supreme  authority  upon  it.  Hence,  it  bears  the  name,  and 
token  of  his  majesty  impressed  on  it.  It  is  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

OF    the    various    names    of    this    ORDINANeH. 

First : — It  is  called  the  Lord's  Supper,  for  the  reason  just 
now  mentioned.  Our  Lord  appointed  it  in  the  place  of  the 
passover.  It  is  a  Supper.  It  was  first  instituted  to  be  eaten  at 
the  time  of  the  evening  sacrifice ;  and  it  is  very  signi- 
ficantly styled  The  Slipper.  That  meal  was  the  principal 
one  among  the  ancient  orientalists,  and  Jews.  It  was  a 
feast  after  the  business,  and  cares  of  the  day.     So  this  is  the 


366  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

principal  feast,  and  most  solemn  ordinance  in  the  Christian 
Church.  It  is  Tlie  Lordh  Supper.  Here  we  meet  with 
Christ,  not  merely  as  occasional,  and  transient  visitors ;  but 
we  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  us,  as  permanent  lodgers 
with  him  in  his  holy  habitation. 

Second : — It  is  called  the  Communion.  1  Corinth,  x. 
16:  "The  communion  of  Christ's  body  ;  and  the  com- 
munion of  his  blood."  We  have,  in  this  festival,  the  closest, 
and  most  joyful  communion  with  each  other;  and,  above 
all,  with  the  Triune  God,  in  grace,  in  peace,  in  holiness, 
and  love. 

Third  : — It  is  styled  the  Feast.  Feasts  were  institut- 
ed in  joyful  commemoration  of  great  deliverances  ;  and  upon 
occasions  of  returning  peace,  and  reconciliation  of  nations, 
families,  and  individuals.  Men  feasted  together  to  cement 
the  union  of  friendship,  and  love.  And  he  was  reckoned 
a  monster  of  ingratitude,  and  one  never  to  be  trusted  again, 
who  could  betray,  or  injure  the  man  with  whom  he  had  ce- 
lebrated the  feast  of  reconciliation.  In  this  ordinance  we 
sit  down  at  the  Lord's  table,  in  communion  with  him,  who 
is  "  pacified  to  us,"  and  who  has  "  reconciled  us  to  himself." 
We  do  publicly  commemorate  his  love  to  us,  and  testify  our 
love  to  him.  We  eat,  and  drink  with  him,  in  cordial  recon- 
ciliation ;  and  we  seal  the  renewed  vow,  and  covenant  of 
peace,  not  to  be  revoked.  And  herein  we  have  a  foretaste 
of  the  feast  of  uninterrupted  joy  in  heaven,  at  "the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb." 

Fourth, : — It  is  called  the  Eucharist.  This  is  the  fa- 
vourite name,  by  which  it  is  known,  chiefly  in  the  Greek 
Church.  It  is  so  called,  because  it  is  the  Church's  joyful 
festival  of  thanksgiving  to  God, — as  the  word  imports, — 
for  his  unmerited  favours  through  Christ  Jesus,  by  the 
Blessed  Spirit. 

Fifth : — It  is  commonly  called  the  Sacrament.  Bap- 
tism also  is  a  sacrament.     But,  as  the  word  of  God  is  call- 


THE    LORD*S    SUPPER.  367 

ed  the  Bible,  or,  the  Book,  by  way  of  eminence,  as  it  is 
the  Book  of  all  books  ;  so  is  the  Lord's  Supper,  by  reason 
of  its  pre-eminent  solemnity,  and  extraordinary  exhibition  of 
Christ,  called 

THE    SACRAMENT. 

This  name  is,  indeed,  not  found  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
But  it  has  been  in  use  among  Christians  from  the  earliest 
ages.  It  comes  from  the  Latin  word,  sacramentum,  an 
oath,  a  military  oath  of  the  soldier  to  the  emperor.  Pliny, 
in  his  letter  to  the  Roman  emperor  Trajan,  uses  this  word 
in  speaking  of  this  festival  of  the  primitive  Christians. 
Without  doubt,  he  naturally  used  it  in  the  sense  in  which  it 
was  used  in  the  Roman  army.  The  sacramenticm  militare 
was  a  public  oath,  and  a  vow  of  fidelity,  given  by  the  loyal 
soldier  to  his  country,  his  government,  and  his  general. 
Beyond  doubt,  the  word  was  so  used  in  its  application  to 
this  ordinance,  by  the  primitive  Christians.  But,  it  was, 
no  doubt,  also  used  by  them  in  the  other  sense  of  the  word, 
namely,  to  express  a  mystery.  That  is,  it  conveyed  to  them 
the  idea  that  this  Supper  was  not  a  common  feast.  The 
mystery  exhibited  Christ's  body  and  blood  given  for  us, 
under  the  sacramental  symbols  of  bread  and  wine. 

We  object  to  neither  of  these  views.  On  the  contrary, 
we  approve  of  both.  In  this  divine  ordinance,  we  give  a 
sacred  pledge  of  our  fidelity,  and  devotion  to  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation.  We  vow  to  him,  with  the  solemnity  of  an 
oath,  that  we  will  follow  him  in  love,  in  patience,  in  perse- 
vering obedience  in  all  the  complicated  trials  of  life's  war- 
fare, and  duties,  even  unto  our  death. 

Besides  this,  as  we  said,  it  contains  a  hidden  mystery. 
The  men  of  this  world,  who  possess  no  saving  grace,  no 
faith,  no  spiritual  discernment,  can  never  penetrate  the  mys- 
tery deeply  veiled  under  the  sacramental  elements.      They 


368  THE    ORDINANCES    OF    CHRIST. 

look  on  things  with  the  eyes  of  their  unconverted  nature. 
They  perceive  nothing  beyond  the  outward  materials.  Like 
strangers,  and  foreigners,  who  do  not  understand  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country  where  they  sojourn,  these  men  feel  not 
the  eloquent  and  solemn  appeal  made  in  these  holy  sacra- 
mental symbols.  But  the  eye  of  the  spiritual  discerner 
sees,  through  these  divine  elements,  as  in  a  glass,  the  body 
AND  BLOOD, — ill  Other  words,  the  all-sufficient  atonement 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  presented  to  him,  and  accepted  by 
him,  as  the  life,  and  nourishment  of  his  immortal  soul. 


CHAPTER  III. 


OF  THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  LORD's  SUPPER  ;  AND 
THE  CORRESPONDING  PREPARATION  RECtUIRED  OF  US, 
THERETO. 

"Behold  we  come  unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God  !" 

Here  I  beg  attention  to  some  preliminary  observations. 
Some  injurious  mistakes  are  entertained  by  many  on  this 
point ;  against  which  we  shall  do  well  to  be  on  our  guard. — 
And  here  I  deem  it  necessary  to  remind  you,  my  dear  youth, 
that  God  communicates  his  divine  truths  to  man,  in  two 
prominent  ways.  First ;  by  plain  doctrinal  instructions. 
Second :  by  the  forcible  and  impressive  means  of  symbols. 

The  Most  High,  who  made  our  frame,  and  knows  our 
nature,  has  selected  the  most  impressive  and  efficient  modes 
of  conveying  his  revealed  truths  to  our  souls.  Our  ideas  of 
foreign  objects  are  conveyed  through  our  external  senses. 
In  proportion  to  the  number  of  the  senses  employed  in  con- 
veying our  perceptions  to  the  mind,  is  the  knowledge 
thereof,  clear,  strong,  and  enduring.  If  I  hear  a  historical 
statement,  I  remember  it,  in  proportion  as  I  distinctly  hear 
it.  If,  in  addition  to  hearing  it,  I  have  an  authentic  copy 
of  the  narrative  placed  before  my  eyes,  and  am  allowed  to 
follow  the  speaker,  the  impression,  according  to  the  ordina- 
ry rules  of  attention,  will  be  doubled  in  force.     If,  in  addition 

32 


370  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

to  these,  there  are  set  before  me  certain  historical  monuments, 
together  with  certain  corresponding  actions, — all  tending  to 
exhibit  the  same  truth,  and  strengthen  the  impression 
through  the  medium  of  my  other  senses,  the  perceptions, 
and  impressions  will  of  course  be  very  strong,  vivid,  and 
enduring. 

This  law  of  our  nature,  our  compassionate  Redeemer  has 
called  into  requisition  in  all  ages  of  his  church.  For  in- 
stance, the  Jewish  church  commemorated  their  deliverance 
from  Egypt,  and,  at  the  same  time,  their  deliverance  from 
their  spiritual  foes,  by  the  grace  of  the  Messiah,  in  the  or- 
dinance of  their  Passover.  In  addition  to  the  narrative  of 
their  deliverance,  the  parents  directed  the  attention  of  the 
children  to  the  paschal  lamb,  slain,  and  roasted,  and  eaten 
sacramental ly.  They  heard  it,  they  saw  it,  they  felt  it,  they 
touched  it,  they  tasted  it.  And  thus  the  sacramental  sign, 
and  seal  conveyed  the  truth  of  the  narrative  forcibly  home 
to  their  faith.  And  each  devout  participant  said  in  his  soul 
thus  ; — As  certainly  as  I  have  the  distinct  evidence  before 
my  different  senses,  that  this  is  a  real  lamb  of  the  sacrifice, 
— so  certain  am  I  of  the  fact  of  our  national  deliverance  out 
of  the  house  of  bondage.  And  carrying  out,  still  further, 
this  sacramental  action  and  instruction,  by  viewing  it  as  de- 
signed to  indicate  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  Messiah,  who  was 
coming  in  his  time  to  deliver  his  people  from  worse  than 
Egyptian  bondage,  the  devout  Jew  said  in  his  soul,  thus : — 
As  certainly  as  I  am  assured,  by  the  evidence  and  testimony 
of  my  senses,  that  this  is  really  a  lamb,  sacrificially  slain, 
and  feasted  on,  as  a  sacrifice  ;  so  certain  am  I,  by  the  sa- 
cramental use  of  this  feast  on  a  sacrifice,  that  my  Redeemer 
will  take  on  him  our  nature,  and  will  bleed,  and  will  die  in  the 
fire  of  divine  justice,  for  me,  and  for  the  church  of  God. 
And  as  certainly  as  I  feast  on  this  sacrifice,  and,  thereby, 
share  in  the  benefit  of  this  material  and  typical  sacrifice  ; 
so  certainly  shall  I  feast  upon  Messiah's  body  and   blood 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  871 

given  for  me,  and  shed  for  me.  And  thereby  shall  I  share 
in  the  real  sacrifice  of  Messiah  for  me,  as  certainly  as  if  I 
had  actually  offered  it  up  to  my  God,  myself,  personally. 

Now,  one  probable,  and  serious  mistake  here,  would  be, 
to  mistake  the  symbol  for  the  thing  thus  symbolically  ex- 
hibited ;  to  confound,  for  instance,  the  paschal  lamb,  for  the 
actual  deliverance  commemorated.  Or  to  imagine  that  the 
eating  of  the  paschal  lamb  was  really  the  eating  of  the 
Messiah  ;  and  that  the  enjoyment  of  the  feast  materially 
considered,  was  actually  the  enjoyment  of  the  spiritual  feast 
of  grace,  and  pardon  ! 

Such,  precisely,  is  the  extravagance  and  error  of  those 
who  conceive  the  baptism  with  water,  to  be  actually  the 
spiritual  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  in  other  words,  that  the 
water  baptism  of  the  body  is  really  the  washing,  and  rege- 
neration of  the  soul !  This  unaccountable  error  has  ac- 
tually been  committed ! 

Such,  precisely,  is  also  the  error  of  those  who  conceive 
the  symbols  of  bread  and  wine  to  be  the  very  thing  thereby 
represented  :  who  actually  conceive  the  monstrous  idea, 
that  the  bread  and  wine  are,  in  reality,  Christ's  "  body  and 
blood,  soul  and  divinity !"  If  I  suppose  these  material  ele- 
ments to  be  the  very  Christ,  bodily  ;  and  the  presenting  of 
them,  before  the  Church,  to  be  an  actual  renewal  of  his 
divine,  and  all-perfect  sacrifice  once  offered  on  the  cross,  I 
fall  into  an  error  at  once,  most  absurd,  and  fatal  to  my  soul. 
It  is  FATAL.  For,  I  thereby  forsake  the  one  only  and  all- 
perfect  sacrifice,  which  was  never  to  be  repeated.  For,  af- 
ter Christ  came,  all  material  sacrifices  were  abolished. 
Isaiah,  speaking  of  the  New  Testament  times,  says, — "  He 
that  (now)  killeth  an  ox,  is  as  if  he  slew  a  man :  he  that 
(now)  sacrificeth  a  lamb,  is  as  if  he  cut  off  a  dog's  neck  ; 
he  that  (now)  offereth  an  oblation,  is  as  if  he  offered  swine's 
blood  ;  he  that  (now)  burneth  incense,  is  as  if  he  blessed  an 
idol !"  ch.  Ixvi.  3. 


372  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

It  is  also  MOST  ABSURD.  For,  on  the  same  principle,  to 
be  consistent,  miist  I  maintain  that  the  lambs  of  the  pass- 
over,  countless  in  number,  being  eaten  by  millions  of  the 
ancient  worshippers,  were,  in  reality,  the  very  Messiah 
BODILY, — even  before  he  had  a  human  body !  The  very  Mes- 
siah EATEN  BODILY,  and  bcforc  he  had  a  body  !  Nay,  that  each 
ox,  and  heifer,  and  goat,  symbolically  exhibiting  the  Messiah, 
were  in  reality  the  Messiah  bodily  ;  and  consumed  bodily, 
on  the  altar  of  the  burnt-offering  !  Nay,  more  still.  If  the 
bread  of  the  Holy  Supper  be,  in  reality,  "the  body  and 
blood,  soul  and  divinity  of  Christ,"  as  the  canon  of  the 
Roman  Mass  teaches  ;  then  the  victim  of  the  burnt- offering 
was  the  "real body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity  of  Christ!" 
And  as  such — in  his  "  soul  and  divinity"  he  was  continually 
consumed  to  ashes  on  the  altar,  from  day  to  day ! 

Oh !  Holy  and  Gracious  Spirit,  purify  the  Church,  and 
the  groaning  Earth,  from  such  revolting  absurdities  and  fa- 
tal errors  !  Oh !  teach  man,  that  the  infinitely  perfect  atone- 
ment of  our  Lord  never  needed  a  repetition  by  Christ  himself; 
far  less  by  sinful  man  !  O  God !  be  graciously  pleased  to  take 
away  this  high  treason  against  the  King  of  Zion,  for  ever, 
from  the  face  of  the  earth  !  Grant  this,  0  God,  out  of  com- 
passion to  thy  bleeding  Church,  and  pity  to  perishing  souls, 
for  Christ's  sake.     Amen. 

There  is  another  remarkable  error,  originated  by  the  same 
treasonable  power ;  and  one  which  strangely  lingers  among 
us,  in  the  Reformed  Churches.  I  allude  to  the  superstitious 
belief  that  our  going  through  the  external  acts,  even  with 
the  greatest  apparent  solemnity,  does,  by  '  the  very  doing  of 
the  service,'  entitle  us  to  the  grace  of  God,  and  a  divine  re- 
ward.— Now  hear  the  Apostle.  "  Bodily  exercise  profiteth 
little."  Hence,  the  doing  of  the  mere  external  action,  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  without  a  holy  discerning  mind,  and 
a  pure  faith,  is  if  no  more  effect  in  meriting  the  favours  of 
God,  than  any  other  bodily  service  whatsoever  can  do.—Such 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  373 

offerings  at  God's  altar  are,  verily,  the  offering  of  the  dead 
body  without  the  soul !  They  incur  the  wrath  of  God. 
This  is  in  a  high-handed  degree,  "  to  eat  and  drink  damna- 
tion, not  discerning  the  Lord's  body." — 1  Cor.  xi.  29. 

There  are  two  classes  of  error,  on  the  other  extreme, 
against  which  we  must  studiously  guard,  my  dear  youth,  for 
the  honour  of  God :  and  our  own  purity  and  peace. 

I.  1  allude  to  the  error  of  those  who  have  been  led,  by  in- 
discreet persons,  to  believe  that,  like  Mount  Sinai,  the  table 
of  the  Lord  has  a  combination  of  awful  terrors  thrown  around 
it.  Those  persons  confound  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  with 
the  TABLE  of  the  Lord.*  The  altar  was  that  on  which 
God's  pure  and  inflexible  justice,  like  fire,  consumed  the 
victim,  which  was  "God's  meaff  The  table  was  that 
at  which  the  worshipper,  who  offered  the  sacrifice,  did  eat  of 
the  feast  upon  the  sacrifice  ;  as  men  reconciled  to  God, 
"supping  with  him,"  at  his  table  of  reconciliation  and 
divine  fellowship. 

Preserve,  I  beg  you,  dear  Christians,  this  necessary  dis- 
tinction. Never  forget  it.  Christ  approached  the^  flaming 
altar  of  God ;  and  there  laid  down  his  soul,  and  body  as  the 
sacrifice.  This,  as  "  the  meat"  on  the  table  of  God,  was 
consumed  by  the  fire  of  justice.  This  ended  in  his  death. 
He  met  and  appeased  Justice.  He  was  not  destroyed  like 
the  burnt-offering.  But,  as  the  paschal  lamb,  he  was  fitted 
to  be  taken  out  of  the  fire  of  divine  justice,  and  laid  on  the 
table  of  the  Lord  ;  that  we  might  approach  our  covenant 
God  in  perfect  peace  with  him,  and  feast  with  him  on  the 
sacrificed  body  and  blood  of  our  Redeemer  ;  in  token  of 
our  reconciliation  to  God,  and  God's  true  love  to  us. 

Viewing  this  ordinance  in  this  light,  how  can  any  child 
of  God  permit  himself,  for  a  moment,  to  compare  it  to  the 
terrific  Mount  of  Sinai,  at  the  moment  the  law  was  uttered  ? 
How  can  any  believer  venture  to  say, — it  is  safer  to  abstain 

♦  See  Micah  i.  7.  t  Micah  i.  12. 

32* 


374  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

from  the  sacrament,  invested  as  it  is,  with  these  awful  ter- 
rors, than  to  venture  forward  to  it  ?  Oh  !  how  can  you  say 
it  is  safer  to  absent  yourself  from  the  presence  of  divine 
love  and  mercy  ;  even  while  they  are  urging  you,  and  en- 
treating you  to  meet  your  heavenly  Father,  and  your  Re- 
deemer, and  your  Divine  Comforter,  at  the  table  of  the 
heavenly  banquet,  in  the  feast  of  the  memorial  of  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ,  given  and  accepted  for  us  ? 

Oh !  cease,  I  beseech  you,  to  confound  the  terrors  of  the 
law,  with  the  solemnity  and  joys  of  the  gospel  feast  of  love ! 
Cease  to  mistake  the  beseeching  and  melting  accents  of 
the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  for  the  terrific  thunders  of 
Mount  Sinai. — The  law  utters  its  denunciations,  to  con- 
vince us,  that  under  the  curse  of  a  broken  covenant,  we  can 
have  no  hopes  of  salvation  by  our  own  works.  In  the 
Lord's  Supper  we  are  invited  to  meet  the  God  of  salvation 
in  peace  and  love.  By  the  terrors  of  the  law,  man  is  driven 
from  his.own  carnal  hopes  ;  and  is  "  shut  up"  to  the  way,  and 
hopes  of  the  gospel.  The  sword  of  the  law's  guardian 
keeps  every  way  ;  and  shuts  up  every  avenue  of  man's  re- 
turn, except  through  the  new  and  living  way  opened  up  by 
the  gospel.  In  the  Lord's  Supper,  we  are  constrained,  by 
all  the  urgency  of  divine  compassion,  and  loving-kindness, 
to  come  and  meet  our  God  in  the  festival  of  mutual  love, 
and  a  joyful  reconciliation  ! 

II.  We  must  alarm  men  out  of  the  easy  belief  that 
there  is  safety  in  persisting  in  the  neglect  of  this  divine  or- 
dinance. The  command,  "to  keep  this  in  remembrance  of 
Christ,"  is  from  the  same  high  and  sovereign  authority, 
which  enacted  the  ten  precepts.  It  is  as  peremptory,  and 
divine,  and  obligatory,  as  is  any  one  of  these  commands. 
Can  any  one  persuade  himself  that  there  is  any  safety  in  per- 
sisting, through  life,  in  the  wilful  violation  of  any  one  of  the 
TEN  precepts  ?  And  can  there  be  any  safety  in  the  open  and 
wilful   neglect  of  this  most  peremptory  command?     No 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  375 

command  of  God  is  conditional.  No  subject  of  the  Al- 
mighty's government  has  a  choice  of  obeying,  or  not  obey- 
ing, as  he  may  see  fit !  Every  precept  is  peremptory,  and 
absolute  in  its  penalty. 

Many  a  one,  alas  I  succeeds  to  lull  his  conscience  into 
an  amazing  and  most  alarming  degree  of  security,  in  this 
matter ;  by  alleging  that  "  he  is  not  prepared  by  faith,  for 
this  solemn  transaction."     This, — we  declare,  with  deep  so- 
lemnity,— is  trifling  with  God,   and  his  divine  commands 
with  a  vengeance  !     Who  can  be  serious  in  this  allegation  ? 
None.     The  proof  of  this  is  glaring.     As  he  makes  this 
excuse,  he  feels   no  concern, — no  anxiety   to  be   prepar- 
ed.    If  he  were  serious  in  this  allegation,  he  could  find  no 
comfort.     He  could  not  even  rest  in  peace  on  his  couch. 
For  every  reflecting  man  must  admit,  that  if  he  be  not  pre- 
pared for  the  Holy  Supper,  then   is  he  not  prepared  for  the 
awful  hour  of  death,  and  judgment,   and  eternity !     Can 
any  man  of  sound  reason,  while  viewing  death,  staring  him 
in  the  face,  on  his  dying  bed  deliberately  allege, — and  al- 
lege, too,  with  a  view  to  keep  his  conscience  perfectly  at  ease, 
that  he  is  not  prepared  to  die  ?     How  can  any  one,  then, 
who  is  not  under  a  fatal  delusion,  allege,  with  a  view  to  keep 
his  conscience  quiet,  that  he  is  not  prepared  for  the  Lord's 
Supper  ? 

There  are  some  who  do,  indeed,  plead  their  unworthiness, 
and  want  of  preparation.  But  they  do  not  set  up  this  plea 
to  soothe  their  consciences  ;  and  seek  a  false  peace ;  while 
living  in  a  state  of  rebellion.  They  make  the  plea  in  good 
faith,  with  many  tears  ;  and  with  mourning,  and  contrition. 
And  they  allow  themselves  no  rest,  until  they  have  found 
grace,  and  peace.  Then,  after  due  preparation  through 
Christ,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  find  them  hastening  to  obey 
their  Redeemer's  command,  in  shewing  forth  his  death  at 
the  communion  table. 

in.   We  must  guard   with  care  against  errors  in  refer- 


376 

ence  to  the  nature,  design,  and  manner  of  preparation,  for 
this  solemnity.  It  is  not  a  peace  offering.  We  must 
come  with  no  price  in  our  hands.  Our  Heavenly  Father 
never  sells  his  blessings.  We  buy  ;  but  "  we  buy  without 
money,  and  without  price."  We  cast  down  all  our  evil 
deeds,  and  all  our  good  deeds ;  and  all  our  miseries, 
at  the  foot  of  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  there  we  j^^accept 
of  his  free  and  sovereign  grace,  to  help  us  in  every  duty. 
We  must  come  in  humility ;  in  steady  faith ;  in  ardent  love  ; 
in  hope  ;  in  confidence  inspired  by  his  unchangeable  love, 
and  almighty  power,  that  we  shall  receive  all  the  needful 
supplies  of  his  divine  grace.  We  must  come  emptied  of 
ourselves  ;  and  return  filled  with  his  rich  grace  ;  and  con- 
strained into  a  closer,  and  closer  union  to  him  by  his  di- 
vine love. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


OF    THE    NATURE    AND    USE    OF    THE    LORd's    SUPPER,  WITH 

THE    CORRESPONDING    PREPARATION    REQUIRED  OF  US, 

CONTINUED. 

"  I  will  wash  mine  hands  in  innocence ;  so  will  I  compass  thine  al- 
tar, O  God."    Psahn  xxvi.  5. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  main  point  before  us,  on  this 
head. 

First : — The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  monument  of  high  com- 
memoration. It  is  a  monument  reared  in  the  church  uni- 
versal ;  and  held  forth  in  the  most  conspicuous  manner  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  all  the  enemies  of  Christianity.  It  comme- 
morates events,  some  of  which  are  past ;  and  some,  yet  fu- 
ture,— the  grandest  in  their  character,  and  the  most  momen- 
tous in  their  results,  that  can  be  conceived  by  man,  or  an- 
gel. 

These  have  been  already  detailed  by  us.  We  shall  mere- 
ly name  the  most  prominent : — the  everlasting  covenant  of 
grace  ;  the  mission  of  Christ ;  his  incarnation  ;  his  atone- 
ment ;  his  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  his  ascension  ;  his 
intercession ;  the  final  redemption  of  all  the  ransomed  ; 
his  regeneration  of  the  human  family,  in  the  millennial 
reign  ;  and  his  final  descent  to  the  last  judgment. 


378  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

Compared  to  these,  what  are  the  grandest  events  on  the 
rolls  of  fame  ?  Laid  in  the  balance  with  these  ever-endur- 
ing results,  what  are  the  mightiest  affairs,  and  achievements 
of  men  ;  the  rise,  and  fall  of  empires,  and  republics  ?  In 
their  mightiest  importance,  they  are  as  the  small  dust  in  the 
balance  !  By  this  glorious  combination  of  acts  in  Jeho- 
vah's government,  the  divine  perfections  move  on  in  their 
harmony,  in  man's  redemption  !  There  is  all  the  attractive 
loveliness  of  mercy,  in  unison  with  the  overawing  severity 
of  justice  !  There,  spotless  purity,  and  unyielding  equity 
move  on  to  embrace  love,  and  tender  compassion  !  The 
honour,  and  majesty  of  every  attribute  of  the  Godhead,  are 
not  only  preserved  unsullied ;  but  are  all  covered  with  an 
overpowering  glory,  and  beauty  !  The  divine  government 
is  manifested,  and  made  most  glorious,  before  all  holy  and 
intelligent  beings.  And  all  this  triumph  is  consummated 
in  the  ransom  of  countless  millions  of  the  human  family  ; 
in  their  deliverance  from  the  bitter  pains  of  the  second 
death  ;  and  their  final  elevation  to  thrones  of  glory,  and 
happiness  ;  in  full  and  uninterrupted  communion  with  God, 
and  all  holy  beings  in  his  vast  empire, — as  if  they  never 
had  fallen  ! 

Now,  do  nations  rear  monuments  to  their  illustrious  heroes, 
and  the  founders  of  their  empires  1  Does  a  grateful  people 
commemorate  the  proud  day  of  their  national  birth  ?  And 
could  it  be  suspected  that  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  earth, 
— THE  Church,  should  want  her  monuments  of  these  most 
magnificent  events  of  divine  wisdom,  love,  and  power  ? 

They  of  the  olden  Jewish  times  possessed  their  monu- 
ments of  national  commemoration.  The  stones  which 
were  taken  from  the  channel  of  Jordan,  while  its  waves 
stood  up  in  a  heap,  and  allowed  the  church  to  pass  over, 
were  reared  into  a  pillar  at  Gilgal,  to  commemorate  the 
national  deliverance.  The  Passover  kept  up  the  memory 
of  their  escape  from  Egypt :  and  their  still  greater  deliver- 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  379 

Bnce  from  the  church's  enemy,  typified  by  Egypt.  And, 
finally,  the  world  has  its  Sabbath,  to  keep  up  the  perpetual 
and  holy  remembrance  of  the  stupendous  work  of  the  old 
creation  ;  and  the  finishing  of  the  new  creation,  by  the 
resurrection  of  Christ. 

I  invite  your  attention  to  the  moral  and  religious  use  of 
these.     When  the  new  generations  of  Israel  looked  on  the 
pillar  of  stones  at  Gilgal,  and  asked,  "  What  means  this  heap 
of  stones  ?'     Their  fathers  replied — "  This  heap  has  been 
here  in  our  days,  and  in  the  days  of  our  fathers."    The  tra- 
dition relative   to  them,  and  the  holy   record  of  Joshua, 
correspond  exactly  with  the  existence  of  this  monument. 
Our  fathers,  they  told  us,  passed  over  Jordan  at  this  spot, 
by  a  miraculous  drying  up  of  its  waves.     These  stones  they 
took  up  from  its  deep  channel,  and  with  them  they  reared 
this  pillar.      Our   fathers  saw  this   passage   over   Jordan. 
They  saw  this  monument  reared  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
people  who  came  over.     They  have  handed  down  the  tradi- 
tion, and  with  it,  the  holy  record  in  the  writings  of  Joshua  : 
and,  in  confirmation  thereof,  they  point   to   this  heap  of 
stones,  reared  in  commemoration  of  it. — One  generation 
after  another,  has  lived  close  by  this  pillar,  ever  since    it 
was  reared.     No  man,  nor  conspiracy  of  men,  could  have 
invented  this  narrative  by  Joshua,  of  a  passage  over  Jordan; 
so  as  to  induce  a  whole  nation  to  believe  it  implicitly  to 
this  day,  had  it  never  happened.     Now,  suppose  it,  for  a 
moment,  to  have  been  a  fiction.     This   narrative,  and  this 
heap  of  stones  could  not,  in  that  case,  have  been  got  up   in 
the  days  of  the  first  generation  who  lived  by  Jordan  ;  for 
they  could  have  instantly  exposed  the    imposition.      If  it 
were  a  fiction,  it  could  not  have  been  got  up,  and  palmed 
upon  the  public  in  any  following  age.     For,  in  the  tradi- 
tion handed  down  ;    and    in  the  sacred  book  of  Joshua, 
it   is  declared  that  the  whole  nation  saw  it ;  and  all  the 
tribes  of  the  nation  believed  it;  and  they  all  saw  themonu- 


380  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

ment  reared  in  Gilgal.  If  it  were  an  imposition  of  after- 
times,  how  could  an  impostor  prevail  on  a  whole  nation  to 
believe  that  this  tradition,  and  record  were  really  handed 
down  to  them  from  their  fathers  1  How  could  he  induce 
the  millions  of  a  nation  to  confess  that  they  all  believed  it, 
long  before  the  appearance  of  this  supposed  fiction, — if  the 
passage  over  Jordan  by  a  miracle,  had  never,  on  this  suppo- 
sition, taken  place  ]  The  infidel  theory  supposes  an  abso- 
lute impossibility.  An  impostor,  for  no  supposable  object, 
succeeds  in  making  millions  believe  that  their  fathers,  and 
they  themselves,  had  long  held  a  tradition  of  a  great  national 
deliverance,  which  yet,  they  never  heard  of,  until  this  sup- 
posed invention  was  propagated ! 

Take,  also,  the  monument  of  the  passover.  We  find  a 
great  nation  keeping  up  this  sacred,  and  national  custom  for 
generations.  The  children  of  a  new  age,  demand  of  their 
fathers, — "  Wherefore  keep  ye  this  feast  ?"  The  parents 
of  a  whole  nation  reply, — "  This  was  ordained  by  our  God, 
at  the  time  when  He  slew  the  first-born  of  Egypt,  and  pass- 
ed OVER  us  in  mercy."  The  written  record  of  that  delive- 
rance came  down  with  this  visible,  national  feast.  Now, 
no  man  could  have  invented  that  narrative  of  a  deliverance, 
and  made  a  whole  nation  believe  it,  and  unanimously  cele- 
brate this  festival, — if  that  national  deliverance  had  never 
taken  place.  Such  a  narrative,  and  ordinance  could  not 
have  been  invented  by  an  impostor  at  the  time  of  the  peo- 
ple's coming  out  of  Egypt.  For  the  narrative  and  festival 
appeal  to  the  whole  nation,  saying, — "  God  has  slain  all  the 
first-born  of  Egypt ;  and  has  spared  you,  and  delivered  you  :" 
and  in  memory  of  this,  you  keep  this  festival.  Who  would, 
for  a  moment,  credit  that,  if  the  facts  were  not  certain  and 
fresh  before  the  eyes  of  the  nation  ? 

None  could  have  invented  this  record  of  Moses,  and  this 
ordinance,  at  any  later  date,  and  induced  a  whole  nation, 
without  gainsay,  to  receive  them,  if  the  facts  had  not  actual- 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  381 

\y  happened.  For,  in  the  body  of  the  narrative,  and  in  the 
face  of  the  passover,  the  appeal  is  made  to  the  whole  nation, 
that  their  ancient  forefathers,  and  their  fathers,  and  the 
whole  body  of  the  people  living,  had  actually  received, 
and  given  credit  to  the  tradition,  and  written  record: 
and  that  all  of  them  now  living,  had  always  been  in  the  ha- 
bit of  keeping  this  very  festival, — now  alleged  to  be  just  in- 
vented, on  this  infidel  supposition. 

The  national  tradition,  and  the  sacred  written  record 
have  always  come  down  in  conjunction  with  the  national 
festival  of  the  passover.  Hence,  it  was  a  monument  of 
commemoration,  calculated  to  give  an  irresistible  confirma- 
tion of  their  faith  in  the  national  deliverance.  It  did  more. 
As  a  sacramental  feast,  it  carried  their  minds  forward,  in  a 
true  and  living  faith,  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  even  Messiah, 
who  was  to  come  and  deliver  them  from  a  worse  bondage, 
and  the  bitter  pains  of  the  second  death. 

In  like  manner,  may  we  reason  in  relation  to  the  Holy  Sab- 
bath, which  is  a  monumental  commemoration  of  the  creation 
of  the  world ;  and  also  of  the  new  creation,  by  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  our  Lord.  But  we  leave  our  reader,  at  pre- 
sent, to  follow  this  out  for  himself,  according  to  the  speci- 
mens just  given. 

Now,  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  has  taken  the  place  of 
the  Passover,  is,  strictly  speaking,  a  divine  monument, — 
commemorative  of  the  facts  of  Christ's  mission,  incarna- 
tion, death,  atonement,  resurrection,  ascension,  interces- 
sion. 

This, — I  beg  to  say, — is  the  grand  public  use  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  THE  CHURCH  UNIVERSAL,  which  stands  forward  as 
THE  WITNESS  for  Christ.     Let  us  dwell  a  little  on  this  topic. 

These  miraculous  events,  just  recited, — in  the  history  of 
our  Lord's  life,  and  death,  were  facts  palpable  to  the  eyes  and 
ears  of  men.  Every  one  of  them  was  publicly  done  before 
thousands  of  witnesses.     And  tens  of  thousands  of  good 

33 


382  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

men  in  Jiidea  and  Jerusalem,  contemporaries  of  Jesus  Christy 
rose  up  before  the  nation,  and  publicly  bore  testimony  to  them 
in  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  the  murderers  of  Christ. 

This  monument, — the  Lord's  Supper,  was,  along  with 
others,  publicly  set  up  in,  in  the  church,  and  the  world,  in 
a  manner  most  conspicuous  to  all ;  and,  accompanying  it, 
were  certain  outward  actions,  enjoined  to  be  performed  by 
Christians.  The  church  universal,  in  obedience  to  her 
Lord,  assembled,  and  kept  up,  to  this  day,  the  solem.n  festi- 
val of  Bread  and  Wine,  in  remembrance  of  these  divine 
and  memorable  events. 

Again  : — this  monument  of  the  Holy  Supper,  with  vari- 
ous others,  was  instituted  at  the  time,  in  which  these  divine 
events  transpired.  And  the  tradition  of  all  the  churches, 
in  all  parts  of  the  world,  the  most  widely  separated — has 
come  down  along  with  the  holy  record  of  the  Bible,  together 
with  this  solemn  monumental  commemoration,  uninterrupt- 
ed, from  the  period  when  they  happened,  even  to  this  day. 
These  are  facts  of  which  no  man,  who  believes  in  the  evi- 
dence of  history,  can  entertain  a  single  doubt. 

Now,  had  these  glorious  events  never  happened  in  Jeru- 
salem, it  would  have  been  impossible  to  persuade  the  my- 
riads* of  the  best  men  of  Judea,  who  were  contemporaries 
with  Christ,  to  believe  that  they  did  actually  see  Jesus  raise 
the  dead,  and  work  all  manner  of  miracles  ;  and  die  on 
the  cross  for  the  sins  of  the  people ;  and  rise  again  from 
the  dead,  and  appear  to  hundreds  ;  and  then  publicly  as- 
cend up  into  heaven, — if  all  these  had,  to  their  own 
certain  personal  knowledge,  not  taken  place.  No  power 
on  earth  could  have  induced  the  people  of  those  times  to 
believe  these  things,  unless  they  had  seen  them  with  their 
eyes,  and  heard  them  with  their  ears.     For  the  record,  and 

*  Acts  xxi.  20.  "  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many  myriads, — tens 
of  thousands,  there  are  which  believe," — that  is,  in  Jerusalem.  Such 
is  the  word  rendered  "  thousands"  in  our  version. 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER,  883 

the  monument  of  commemoration,  made  a  direct  appeal  to 
them,  that  they  had  seen,  and  heard  those  things  them- 
selves, as  living  witnesses. 

To  reject  such  infallible  evidence,  would  be  as  reckless 
as  it  would  be  in  a  citizen,  in  our  days,  now,  to  affirm  that 
our  national  jubilee  is  an  imposition :  that  the  Indepen- 
dence of  our  nation  was  never  proclaimed,  nor  achieved  : 
and  that  the  annual  commemoration  is  a  mere  imposture, 
invented  by  our  President,  and  governors  for  their  own 
private  ends  :  that,  in  fact,  the  great  body  of  the  nation 
has  been  strangely  persuaded  to  commemorate  an  event 
that,  as  some  assert,  never  really  happened  ! 

But  the  many  myriads  of  the  contemporaries  of  Christ, 
and  the  Apostles,  did  as  firmly  believe  all  the  facts  of  the 
holy  record,  and  did  as  zealously  receive  the  sacred  memo- 
rials of  the  Holy  Supper ;  as  we  now  do  believe  in  our  na- 
tional Independence,  and  do  celebrate  the  annual  festival,  in 
memory  thereof.  And  they  did  transmit  to  the  following 
generations,  the  tradition,  and  the  holy  Record  in  the  Bible, 
in  connection  with  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  memory  thereof; 
just  as  our  fathers  of  the  Revolution  did  transmit  the  tradi- 
tion, and  the  genuine  record  of  the  Independence,  and  the 
joyful  festival  in  commemoration  thereof. — If  we  reject  the 
one,  we  must,  in  order  to  be  consistent,  reject  the  other, 
with  all  its  results. 

There  is  only  the  one  way  of  eluding  this.  That  is,  1st, 
by  recklessly  affirming  that  this  tradition,  and  the  Record, 
and  the  festival  in  remembrance  of  it,  were  invented,  and 
strangely  imposed  on  the  world,  at  a  later  period  than  that  of 
the  Apostles'  days.  By  the  rules  and  examples  already  laid 
down,  this  can  be  shown  to  be  impossible.  First : — No 
man  could  persuade  the  many  myriads  of  the  church  uni- 
versal, made  up  of  people  who  never  beheld  each  other,  to 
believe  implicitly  these  historical  facts  in  the  life  and 
death  of  Christ ;  and  to  observe  with  solemnity,  these  sacra- 


384  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

mental  rites,  in  memory  of  them,  if  a  most  perfect  evidence 
had  not  been  given  to  their  fathers,  who  were  contemporary 
with  Christ ;  and  brought  down  clearly,  to  their  successors, 
by  an  unbroken  chain  of  evidence. 

Suppose  the  experiment  to  be  made. — A  few  eminent 
men  go  into  Austria,  and  persuade  that  whole  nation,  that 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  the  Austrians,  as  a  nation,  all 
rose  up,  in  great  harmony  against  their  civil  tyrants,  and 
proclaimed  their  national  Independence,  and  achieved  it  ac- 
tually, by  their  wisdom,  and  valour  :  that  they  reared  a  Re- 
public ;  and  that  from  that  day  to  this,  they  all  did,  as  a 
nation,  harmoniously  celebrate  the  glorious  deliverance,  by 
a  national  festival  on  that  day !  Could  any  power  on  earth 
effect  the  conversion  of  the  nation  to  this  belief?  They 
would  reply, — We  never  heard  of  it,  we  never  did  com- 
memorate the  festival ;  nor  did  our  forefathers.  We  can- 
not be  induced  to  commemorate  a  thing  which  we  are  sure 
never  took  place ! 

But,  transfer  this  to  the  case  of  the  Republic.  Who  has 
succeeded  in  persuading  this  nation  to  believe  the  above 
facts  ?  "VNTio  succeeded  in  inducing  the  nation  unanimous- 
ly to  celebrate  the  commemorative  festival  ?  The  answer  is 
easy.  The  facts  did  happen  as  they  have  been  declared. 
And  the  tradition  is  in  every  one's  lips ;  and  the  written 
documents,  with  the  annual  festival,  came  down  to  us,  si- 
multaneously. And  he  who  would  venture  to  deny  the  facts 
of  the  Revolution  would  be  deemed  insane. 

Neither,  2dly,  can  it  be  affirmed,  that  these  traditions,  to- 
gether with  the  divine  record,  and  these  solemn  ordinances, 
were  invented,  and  set  up  at  any  period  posterior  to  the  days 
of  Christ,  and  his  Apostles.  For,  it  is  declared  in  the  very 
traditions,  and  in  the  very  face  of  the  inspired  record,  and 
on  the  monumental  festival  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  that  "  your 
fathers,  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  Apostle,  did  actually  re- 
ceive  the  traditions,  and  that  sacred  record,  and  that  festi- 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  385 

val.  And  they,  and  all  their  descendants,  throughout  all 
christian  nations,  did  receive  them ;  and  did  most  religious- 
ly observe  them  even  to  this  day."  Now,  at  no  period,  in- 
tervening between  the  Apostles'  days,  and  our  days,  could 
any  man  rise  up,  and  say  this  before  the  world.  How  could 
he,  in  one  solitary  instance,  gain  credit  from  one  individual, 
far  less  from  all  christian  nations,  to  his  declaration,  that 
they  and  their  fathers,  back  to  the  times  of  Christ,  have  been 
in  the  uninterrupted  possession  of  these  traditions,  and  of  this 
divine  record,  and  of  these  solemn  ordinances, — if  they 
had  never  heard  of  them  before  ?  Could  a  people  listen  to 
a  record,  with  its  attendant  festival,  which,  being  brought 
forward  to  them,  by  an  impostor  for  the  first  time,  does  bear 
a  distinct  statement  on  its  every  page,  that  they  themselves, 
and  their  fathers,  had  always  been  conversant  with  it,  and 
had  from  ancient  times  been  in  the  habit  of  commemorat- 
ing the  events  therein  recorded  ? 

Hence,  the  Lord's  Supper,  faithfully  kept  up  by  the 
church,  is  a  mighty  bulwark  of  evidence  against  all  the 
foes  of  Christianity.  And  it  is  a  divine  monument  to  con- 
firm our  faith  beyond  the  reach  of  a  doubt,  in  the  Redemp- 
tion of  man  by  Christ.  As  we  look  on  our  public  institu- 
tions, our  laws,  our  magistracy,  and  our  annual  commemo- 
rative festival,  we  have  an  infallible  assurance  that  all  the 
grand  events  of  the  Revolution  of  1776  did  actually  take 
place.  Even  so,  when  we  look  on  the  institutions  of  the 
church,  her  laws,  her  ministry,  and  her  solemn  commemo- 
rative festivals,  we  have  an  infallible  assurance,  and  un- 
shaken faith  in  Christ's  glorious  redemption  of  man.  And 
he  who  rejects  the  divine  record,  and  the  blessed  events  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  and  death,  with  all  these  monumental 
evidences  before  his  eyes  ;  will  be  constrained,  on  his  own 
principles,  to  deny  the  facts,  and  events  of  our  national 
revolution,  with  all  its  monumental  evidence,  before  him  ! 

This  is  one  of  the  loftiest,  and  most  important  designs 
33* 


386  OF   THE  lord's  supper. 

of  this  holy  ordinance.  Hereby  the  church  universal, 
on  earth,  as  one  vast  empire,  stands  up,  in  all  parts  of  the 
earth,  as  a  united  body,  and,  holding  up  this  monument,  pro- 
claims before  Jews,  and  Antichrist,  and  Mohammed,  and 
all  pagans,  and  infidels,  their  strong  and  immoveable  testi- 
mony to  the  facts  of  the  glorious  and  ever  blessed  redemp- 
tion of  man  by  Christ  in  the  flesh. 

And,  hence,  to  neglect  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  to  refuse  to 
assist  in  its  perpetual  celebration,  is  to  refuse  to  stand  up, 
side  by  side,  with  all  Christians,  as  witnesses  for  Him.  To 
do  so,  is  to  prove  recreant  to  our  blessed  Redeemer.  To 
do  so,  is  an  act  of  treachery.  It  is  an  attempt  to  pull  down 
the  monumental  institutions  ;  to  leave  the  field  ;  and  to  re- 
treat before  the  advancing  infidel  host.  Art  thou  a  Christian  ? 
My  brother, — art  thou  a  Christian  1  Oh  !  then,  how  canst 
thou  permit  thyself  to  act  as  a  traitor  to  thy  Lord  ?  How 
canst  thou  deliver  him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  ? 

Such  is  the  general  aspect  of  this  ordinance,  as  a  grand 
monumental  display,  on  the  part  of  the  church,  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  world.  But,  like  the  pillar  of  the  cloud,  which 
lowered  threateningly  over  the  Egyptians,  it  has  also  an  un- 
varying, beautiful,  and  bright  side  toward  the  church,  ex- 
clusively, in  her  encampments  in  this  wilderness. 


CHAPTER  V. 


OF  THE  NATURE  AND  USE  OF  THE  LORD's  SUPPER,  WITH 
THE  CORRESPONDING  PREPARATION  REQUIRED  OF  US  ; 
CONTINUED. 

We  now  observe,  second,  that  the  Lord's  Supper  is  an 
ordinance  of  spiritual  commemoration  to  all  true  Christians. 

1.  We  herein  commemorate,  with  exultation,  the  magni- 
ficent events  and  miracles,  which  established  the  all-import- 
ant truth  of  Christ's  supreme  deity  ;  and  his  eternal 
filiation  ;  as  being  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father  from  all  eternity. 

2.  We  commemorate  the  glorious  fact  of  our  Lord's  in- 
carnation, when  he  became  the  Son  of  Man  ;  and  also 
the  facts  of  his  voluntary  humiliation,  and  his  subjection  to 
the  law,  and  obedience  to  it ;  the  fact  of  his  death  ;  the 
circumstances  attending  his  sufferings,  and  agony,  in  the 
garden,  and  on  the  cross  ;  together  with  the  gracious  end 
of  divine  justice  and  wisdom,  in  that  death  ;  and  the  all-im- 
portant facts  of  his  resurrection,  ascension,  and  inter- 
cession in  heaven.  And,  thence,  do  we  proclaim,  in  the 
most  public  and  solemn  manner,  our  faith  in  the  one  all- 
perfect  sacrifice  for  sin,  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  We  commemorate  the  doings,  and  sayings  of  Christ 
as  the  prince  of  martyrs,  who  has  sealed  the  Books  of  his 
divine  revelation  with  his  blood.     In  this  ordinance  we 


388  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

recognize  him,  and  do  him  spiritual  homage  in  each  of  his 
three  offices.  We  repose  our  every  hope  in  his  vicarious 
sacrifice  offered  up  for  us,  as  our  great  High  Priest.  We 
yield  him  the  homage  due  to  him  as  the  King  of  Zion,  who 
has  all  power  in  heaven,  and  on  earth  ;  and  yield  obedience 
to  his  truths,  his  laws,  and  his  ordinances.  And  we  do, 
with  affection,  and  implicit  faith,  yield  our  homage  to  him 
as  the  great  Prophet  of  his  church,  who  sealed  the  whole  tes- 
timony of  his  word,  by  his  blood,  as  a  martyr  to  its  truth. 
And  there  is  a  deep  and  awful  solemnity  imposed  on  our 
minds,  while  we  reflect  that  they  who  reject  God's  word, 
and  sacraments,  make  light  of  God's  oath  sealing  them  ;  of 
Christ's  blood  confirming  them ;  of  the  Holy  Ghost  esta- 
blishing them  immoveably  by  his  infallible  signs,  and  won- 
ders, and  unparalleled  miracles  ! 

4.  We  gratefully  keep  up  the  remembrance  of  Christ  as 
the  perfect  model  of  the  Christian's  obedience,  in  all  the 
duties,  and  trials,  and  conditions  of  life.  We  lift  our  eyes 
devoutly  to  him  as  the  perfect  example  for  our  dutiful  imita- 
tion. We  are,  thence,  reproved,  and  humbled.  We  are 
quickened  and  encouraged  in  all  our  earnest  attempts  at  a 
closer  walk  with  him,  and  a  more  rigid  imitation  of  his  per- 
fect example  ;  and  a  more  strictly  filial  obedience  in  all 
things,  and  at  all  times. 

6.  We  commemorate  Christ  as  the  triumphant  conqueror. 
The  christian  life  is  a  continuous  warfare.  We  meet  ene- 
mies at  every  step  ;  and  we  are  often  cast  down,  and  in 
great  distress.  But,  we  never  despair.  Cast  down  we  may 
be,  but  we  are  never  destroyed.  We  hold  up  Christ  in 
humble  faith  before  our  agitated  minds,  and  feeble  faith. 
And  in  the  faith  of  all  our  enemies,  we  point  to  him  with 
confidence,  who  achieved,  on  the  cross,  his  triumphs  over  all 
these  enemies. 

We  raise  our  eyes  to  him  with  reviving  faith,  and  holy 
joy,  as  our  living,  exalted,  and  reigning  sovereign !    There, 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  389 

we  see  him  on  his  throne,  in  his  glory,  and  majesty,  follow- 
ing up  the  victories  of  his  grace,  in  a  continuous  succes- 
sion of  glorious  triumphs  over  our  sin,  over  the  world,  over 
Satan,  and  over  death  !  And  in  these  victories  we  triumph, 
and  receive  fresh  joys,  and  animation. 

6.  In  this  festival,  each  one  of  us,  as  individual  Chris- 
tians, keeps  up  the  remembrance  of  Christ's  sure  promise 
that  he  will  come  again.  "  Show  ye  forth  the  Lord's 
death  till  He  come."  "  He  who  testifieth  these  things, 
saith, — Surely  I  come  quickly."  He  is  about  to  come  to 
each  one  of  us  at  our  death,  personally.  By  this  ordinance, 
— to  the  injunction  of  which  he  has  thus  attached  this 
assurance  of  his  coming,  we  are  excited  to  diligence  in 
duty,  and  fidelity  in  watchfulness.  On  every  returning  oc- 
casion, as  he  renews  his  assurance,  we  are  taught  to  res- 
pond,— "Even  so  come  Lord  Jesus."  Come  in  thy  own 
time  to  receive  me.  Oh  !  my  God,  to  the  banquet  of  heaven, 
where  communion  with  thee,  and  all  the  ransomed  will  ne- 
ver be  interrupted,  and  never  will  cease  ! 

7.  We  commemorate,  in  a  church  capacity,  the  truth  of 
our  Lord's  divine  assurance,  that  "  He  will  come  the  se- 
cond time,  without  sin  unto  salvation."  This  promise  of  the 
second  coming  of  Christ,  as  son  of  man,  as  well  as  Son  of 
God,  has  came  down  to  us,  inseparably  connected  with  this 
most  solemn  festival,  from  the  times  of  Christ  and  the 
Apostles.  The  existence  of  this  ordinance,  in  its  uninter- 
rupted commemoration,  does  seal,  and  confirm  to  the  church, 
the  fact  of  this  assurance  of  the  Great  God,  our  Saviour, 
whose  word  cannot  fail.  And  our  faith,  and  the  faith  of 
every  Christian  throughout  the  whole  visible  church,  is  con- 
verted into  assurance,  by  the  divine  blessing  on  this  holy 
sacrament, — that  our  Lord  will  come  the  second  time,  in 
human  nature,  "without  sin," — without  the  innocent  frail- 
ties of  humanity, — not  to  hunger,  and  faint,  and  suffer, 
and  die  ; — not  as  a  "  sin  offering"  for  us  ;— but  in  hu- 


390  OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER. 

man  nature,  covered  with  the  sublime  glory  of  his  divinity, 
to  receive  the  church  that  is  scattered  over  the  earth  :  and  to 
bring  us  all  home ;  and  make  us  all  one,  in  the  glorified 
church  in  heaven  ; — there,  as  the  family  of  God,  to  partake 
of  everlasting  and  uninterrupted  communion  :  there  to  be 
for  ever  with  the  Lord,  and  for  ever  with  one  another ! 

Meantime  the  church,  faithful  to  her  Lord,  will  keep  up 
the  memory  of  this  assurance  of  his  second  coming  to  the 
last  hour  of  time.  And  she  will  be  found  in  the  very  act 
of  the  holy  commemoration,  when  her  Lord  will  descend  in 
glory  from  heaven  to  the  general  judgment. 

"  The  Lord  shall  come  !     The  earth  shall  quake  ] 
The  mountains  to  their  centre  shake  ; 
And  with'ring  from  the  vault  of  night, 
The  stars  shall  pale  their  feeble  light. 
The  Lord  shall  come  !     But  not  the  same, 
As  once  in  lowliness  he  came  ; 
A  silent  lamb  before  his  foes ; 
A  weary  man,  and  full  of  woes  ! 
The  Lord  shall  come !     A  dreadful  form  ! 
With  rainbow  wreath  ;  and  robes  of  storm  : 
On  cherub  wings,  and  wings  of  wind  ; 
Appointed  Judge  of  all  mankind  ! 
Can  this  be  He,  who  wont  to  stray, 
A  pilgrim  on  the  world's  highway  ; 
Oppressed  by  power;  and  mocked  by  pride 
The  J^azarene !    The  Crucified  ! 
While  sinners  in  despair  shall  call, 
'  Rocks !  hide  us.     Mountains,  on  us  fall  !' 
The  saints,  ascending  from  the  tomb. 
Shall  joyful  sing,— -' The  Lord  is  comb!'  *' 


CHAPTER  VI. 


OP  THE  NATURE  AND  USE  OP  THE  LORD's  SUPPER,  WITH 
THE  CORRESPONDING  PREPARATION  REQ,UIRED  OF  US  : 
CONTINUED. 

Third : — The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  feast  upon  a  sacri- 
fice ;  and,  therefore,  a  joyful  feast  of  mutual  reconciliation, 
peace,  and  love. 

I  need  scarcely  stop  to  prove,  that  in  the  Jewish  sacrifices, 
the  worshippers  feasted  upon  the  flesh  of  the  sacrifice. 
There  was,  indeed,  a  diversity  of  sacrifices  ;  for  it  required 
a  multiplicity  of  these  "weak  and  beggarly  elements"  to 
complete  the  type  of  the  one,  perfect,  and  unrepeated  sa- 
crifice of  Christ.  In  some  of  these,  as  the  Sin  Oflfering,  for 
instance,  the  victim  was  burned  to  ashes,  in  a  clean  place 
without  the  camp  :  while  the  fire  of  the  Burnt  Offering,  which 
consumed  the  victim  on  the  altar,  was  never  extinguished. 
It  was  kept  burning  night  and  day.  This  prefigured  the  de- 
vouring fire  of  sleepless  justice,  falling  on  sinners,  who 
venture  to  approach  in  their  own  name,  and  contemn  the 
only  vicarious  sacrifice  of  Christ. 

But,  a  Peace  Offering  was  united  with  these  fiery  and 
terrific  sacrifices.  In  these,  and  in  the  Passover,  the  flesh  of 
the  victim  was  roasted  in  the  fire.  The  consuming  fire  of 
justice  had  its  due  :  it  was  satisfied.    And  the  priest  had  his 


892  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

share,  even  his  dues,  and  his  honour.  And  the  person  who 
presented  the  offering  had  his  share,  which,  as  in  the  Pass- 
over, and  in  the  Peace  Offering,  he  took  home  with  him, 
from  the  altar  of  God ;  and,  placing  it  on  the  table  of  God, 
he  did  partake  of  it,  with  his  family,  in  a  religious  feast.  It 
was  not  A  COMMON  meal.  It  was  a  solemn  festival,  a  feast 
on  a  sacrifice.  And  every  one  who  partook  of  that  feast  on 
the  sacrifice,  was  considered  as  actually  partaking  of  the  re- 
ligious benefit  of  that  sacrifice  ;  and  thence,  as  really  shar- 
ing in  that  pardon  which  God  gave  to  those  who  did  eat  of 
it  sacrificially ; — that  is  to  say,  in  faith,  looking  to  Messiah, 
exhibited  in  that  type,  who  was  about  to  come  in  the  flesh, 
and  die  as  a  sin  offering  for  the  church.  To  partake  reli- 
giously of  the  solemn  feast  on  the  sacrifice,  was  viewed  by 
the  devout  Jew  as  intimating,  in  a  solemn  and  public  man- 
ner, their  cordial  reception  of  Messiah,  and  their  holy  trust 
in  him  as  their  substitute,  dying  for  them,  on  the  altar  in 
the  fire  of  divine  justice.  By  this  sacrifice,  received  and 
eaten  by  them,  every  believer  did  spiritually,  and  really  re- 
ceive Messiah  into  their  souls.  They  became  one  with 
him  in  the  union  of  faith  and  love.  Being  one  with  him 
in  the  eye  of  law  and  justice,  his  sufferings  and  death,  that 
is, — his  perfect  atonement,  was  in  reality  their  satisfaction 
to  all  the  claims  against  them.  Hence,  they  were  righteous 
in  God's  sight.  They  were  justified  from  all  sin.  They 
were  at  peace  with  God,  as  completely  as  if  they  had  them- 
selves, personally,  given  the  fullest  satisfaction  to  divine 
justice. 

And  this  is  precisely  the  true  idea  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Let  me  direct  you  to  1  Cor.  x.  16 — 21.  "  Flee  from  idola- 
try.— The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  com- 
munion of  the  blood  of  Christ  1  The  bread  which  we  breeik, 
is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?  For  we, 
being  many,  are  one  bread,  and  one  body  :  for  we  are  all 
partakers  of  that  one  bread.     Behold  Israel  after  the  flesh  ; 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  393 

are  not  they  which  eat  of  the  sacrifices,  partakers  of  the  altar  ? 
What  say  I  then  ?  That  the  idol  is  any  thing]  Or  that 
which  is  offered  in  sacrifice  to  idols,  is  any  thing  ?  But,  I 
say  that  the  things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they  sacri- 
fice to  devils,  and  not  to  God.  And  I  would  not  that  ye 
should  have  fellowship  with  devils.  Ye  cannot  drink  the 
cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils :  ye  cannot  be  par- 
taliers  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  the  table  of  devils.'' 

Here,  1st,  you  will  perceive  that  the  Apostle,  in  urging 
Christians  to  flee  from  idolatry,  assumes  the  fact,  just  stated, 
that  a  person,  in  eating  of  the  flesh  roasted  on  the  altar  as  a 
sacrifice,  did  thereby  profess,  publicly,  that  he  believed  in 
substitution,  and  accepted  of  the  sacrifice  of  that  substitute 
on  behalf  of  himself. 

2d.  If  he  eat  of  the  flesh  of  the  sacrifices  offered  to 
idols,  he  thereby  gave  his  consent  to  that  sacrifice  ;  and 
was  thence  guilty  of  idolatry  ;  because  he  thereby  sacrificed  to 
idols. 

3d.  He  proved  this  by  a  reference  to  the  Jewish,  and  to 
the  Christian  feasts.  In  the  former,  he  who  partook  of 
the  flesh  of  the  sacrifice,  partook  of  the  offering  on  the  altar. 
And  in  the  latter,  our  act  of  partaking  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  the  Lord,  which  is  sacramentally  received  in  the  bread 
and  the  wine,  is  our  act  of  real  communion  with  him  in  his 
atoning  sacrifice. 

Here,  then,  the  Apostle  establishes  an  exact  analogy  be- 
tween these  festivals  of  the  Jewish  Church,  and  our  festival 
of  the  Christian  Church.  Hence,  as  the  Jews'  feast  of  the 
passover,  and  of  the  peace  offering,  was  a  feast  on  a  sacri- 
fice, and  as  the  feasts  of  the  Gentiles  in  their  temples,  were 
feasts  on  the  idol-sacrifices — so  the  Lord's  Supper  is,  by 
the  Apostle's  decision,  a  feast  upon  the  New  Testament  sa- 
crifice of  our  Lord.* 


See  Cudworth's  Discourse  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 
34 


394  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

Now,  Christ,  our  sacrifice,  could  not  be  literally  eaten. 
And  this  was  not  necessary.  It  was,  in  fact,  not  so  in  the 
true  worship  of  the  pious  Jew.  He  did  not  eat  Messiah 
literally,  as  the  infatuated  victims  of  antichrist  suppose.  In 
the  sacrament  of  the  passover,  the  flesh  of  the  lamb  had  the 
same  relation  to  Messiah  about  to  come,  and  die  ;  which 
the  bread  and  wine  have  to  Christ,  actually  come,  and  ac- 
tually sacrificed  for  us.  In  the  ancient  sacrament,  the  pious 
Jew  used  the  sacred  symbol,  which  represented,  sealed,  and 
applied  to  him,  what  the  bread  and  wine,  the  sacred  symbols 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  do  represent,  seal,  and  apply  to  us. 
The  eating  of  the  paschal  lamb  by  the  believing  Jew  of  old  ; 
and  the  eating  and  drinking  of  the  bread  and  wine,  by  the 
believing  Christian  now, — are  to  be  considered  as  purely 
typical  of  the  act  of  those  persons  receiving  into  their  souls 
and  hearts  the  real  atonement  of  their  common  Saviour,  and 
Lord.  By  this  sacramental  act,  through  faith  in  him,  they 
became  identified  with  their  Saviour,  and  were  one  with 
him,  in  close  and  indissoluble  bonds.  Hence,  when  our 
Lord  stood  up  before  divine  law  and  justice,  we  in  him,  by 
faith,  stood  up  with  him.  When  he  obeyed,  and  satisfied  all 
claims ;  we — in  him  as  our  substitute, — obeyed  and  satisfied 
all  claims  against  us.  When  he  died  and  consummated  the 
atonement,  we  died  to  the  law,  through  the  death  of  our  sub- 
stitute. And  this  atonement  is  our  atonement.  His  ac- 
ceptance as  our  surety  before  the  throne,  is  our  acceptance. 
Hence,  every  true  believer  in  the  Jewish,  and  Christian 
dispensation,  was,  on  the  instant  of  his  faith  in  Christ, 
made  one  with  him.  Thence  Christ's  righteousness  was 
really  his  ;  and  thence  it  is  imputed  to  him,  and  he  is  fully 
accepted,  thereby,  before  God. 

The  result  is,  peace  with  God  in  a  joyful  reconciliation. 
This  is  true  communion.  We  receive  from  God  righte- 
ousness, pardon,  peace,  and  the  inalienable  right  to  the 
heavenly  kingdom.  We  render  to  him  in  return,  the  homage 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  396 

of  devout  and  affectionate  recognition,  of  faith,  of  penitence, 
of  love,  of  holiness,  and  gratitude.  We  receive  from  him 
through  this  ordinance,  all  spiritual  blessings,  sealed  and 
secured  to  us.  In  return,  we  render  up  to  him  our  bodies, 
our  souls,  our  spiritual  thank-offerings,  in  sincerity  of  heart ; 
in  the  homage  of  our  lips  ;  and  the  steadfast  and  pious  obe- 
dience of  our  lives. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  LORD^S  SUPPER WITH 

THE  CORRESPONDING  PREPARATION  REQUIRED  OF  US  : 

CONTINUED, 

Fourth  : — This  festival  contains  an  extraordinary  exhibi- 
tlon  of  Christ  by  divinely-appointed  symbols. 

The  ancient  feasts  on  a  sacrifice,  as  we  have  seen,  were 
not  designed  for  ordinary  occasions,  or  the  mere  gratifica- 
tion of  the  appetite.  They  were  joyful  celebrations  of  a 
covenant  of  peace.  Thus,  when  Laban  and  Jacob  made  a 
covenant  of  peace,  they  sacrificed  ;  and  reared  a  pillar,  and 
a  heap  of  stones  for  the  table.  They  did  eat  of  the  sacrifice, 
on  this  monumental  heap,  and  entered  into  a  solemn  en- 
gagement to  live  in  mutual  harmony  and  peace,  for  ever. 
Gen.  xxxi.  44-54. 

So,  in  this  sacrificial  feast  of  the  New  Testament,  there 
is  a  most  impressive  exhibition  of  the  covenant  of  peace 
between  the  Father  and  the  Son.  And,  while  we  feast  on 
the  sacrifice,  we  gratefully  put  each  other  in  remembrance  of 
this  covenant  of  peace  ;  and  joyfully  celebrate  it,  before  the 
Lord. 

The  Most  High  God,  holy  and  just,  is  the  one  party. 
Our  divine  substitute  iu  human  nature,  is  the  other  ;  who 
appeared  in  our  name,  and  on  our  behalf.     The  claims  of 


THE  lord's  supper.  397 

divine  law  and  justice,  as  we  have  seen,  were  entirely  met, 
and  fully  honoured  by  our  blessed  substitute.  He  was  laid 
on  the  altar,  as  our  sacrifice.  That  is  to  say  : — This  di- 
vine nature  was  the  altar,  which  consecrated  the  gift  of  his 
sacrifice,  rendering  it  of  infinite  value.  His  entire  hu- 
man nature  was  the  perfect  and  spotless  sacrifice.  The  fire 
of  divine  justice  fell  from  heaven,  and  consumed  the  sa- 
crifice. But  when  "  it  touched  his  Divinity,  it  expired." 
He  was  not  destroyed  and  consumed  to  ashes,  as  were  the 
burnt  offering,  and  sin  offering.  But,  as  in  the  peace 
offering,  and  in  the  Passover,  the  flesh  of  the  victim  was 
roasted,  and  prepared  to  be  food  for  those  for  whom  it  was  of- 
fered : — so,  our  Lord  was  prepared  to  be  received,  and 
feasted  upon  by  us,  symbolically.  As  the  flesh  of  the  peace 
offering  was  fetched  from  the  altar,  where  the  fire  of  justice 
was  quenched  in  righteousness, — and  was  laid  down  on  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  reared  in  the  family,  where  the  parties 
making  peace,  and  sealing  their  unity,  did  joyfully  feast  to- 
gether. Even  so,  '*  Christ  our  passover,  who  was  sacrificed  for 
us,"  was  taken  unconsumed,  that  is  to  say,  accepted,  out  of  the 
flames  of  the  altar  of  God ;  and  was  placed  before  the 
church,  on  the  table  of  the  Lord.  Had  his  sacrifice  for 
us  not  been  accepted,  he  never  would  have  been  taken  out 
of  the  flames.  Like  the  burnt  offering,  he  would  have  been 
consumed  to  ashes  :  and  with  him,  all  our  hopes  had  perish- 
ed. But  he,  our  sacrifice,  through  the  infinite  merits  of  his 
Divinity, — was  lifted  off  the  altar,  and  placed  on  the  ta- 
ble of  communion,  as  the  prepared  food  of  our  souls.  And, 
moreover,  we  have  been  called  to  feast  upon  that  sacrifice. 
Hence,  we  have  at  once,  a  most  perfect,  and  consoling  proof, 
that  every  claim  of  divine  justice  is  fully  satisfied  on  our 
behalf.  Hence,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  assures  us  that  "  Our 
Lord's  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  drink  indeed," 
he  gives  us  the  fullest  assurance,  that  our  substitute  was  not 
only  NOT  consumed  by  the  wrath  of  God,  but  was  fully  ac- 

34* 


398  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

cepted  in  his  atonement  for  us.  This  we  joyfully  com- 
memorate in  this  divine  festival  of  peace,  and  reconcilia- 
tion with  God. 

But,  here  is  an  important  point  to  be  noticed.  The 
flesh  and  blood  of  our  divine  sacrifice  could  not  possibly 
be  brought,  literally,  from  the  altar,  and  laid  on  the  ta- 
ble of  communion  in  the  feast  on  the  sacrifice.  What,  then, 
was  to  be  done  ?  The  exhibition  is  effected  by  means  of 
the  symbols  appointed  by  God,  to  represent  that  body,  and 
blood,  namely, — bread  and  wine.  These  symbols  do 
truly  represent  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  Let  me  add, 
that  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  just  signify  the  true 
and  perfect  atonement  ;  or,  our  divine  substitute's  finish- 
ed work  fully  accepted  on  our  behalf,  before  the  throne  of 
Infinite  Justice. 

f.  'Now,  the  parties  reconciled  are,  God  and  Man.  We 
come  together  as  Jacob  and  Laban  did.  We  sit  down,  as 
it  were,  with  each  other.  We  sit  down  together  as  his 
children,  before  him :  and  he  declares,  in  this  institution, 
that  he  is  graciously  present  with  us.  "  We  sup  with  him  ; 
and  he  sups  with  us." 

We  do  not,  indeed,  see  him.  We  cannot  see  him.  But, 
can  we  ever  forget  how  he  certified  his  real  presence  to 
Abraham,  when  he  condescended  to  enter  into  a  covenant 
with  him  ?  It  was  customary,  in  ancient  days,  with  parties, 
reconciled  and  solemnly  pledging  peace  with  one  another, 
to  divide  the  victim  of  the  sacrifice  into  two  parts  ;  and  to 
walk  through  between  these  parts.  Abraham  having  laid  the 
victim,  cut  in  two  pieces,  on  the  ground,  walked  through 
between  the  parts.  And  as  the  shades  of  night  advanced, 
the  presence  of  Jehovah  was  indicated  as  he  ratified  the 
covenant.  There  passed  through,  between  the  parted  vic- 
tim, the  gleam  of  fire,  as  a  burning  lamp.  By  this  sym- 
bol of  his  presence,  did  God  commune  with  Abraham  and 
ratify  his  gracious  covenant  with  him. 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  399 

So,  by  the  divinely  appointed  symbols  of  bread  and 
wiNEj  does  the  most  High  as  certainly  indicate  his  presence 
with  us,  as  he  did  by  fire,  unto  Abraham,  in  the  covenant 
of  mutual  peace. 

While  we  take  in  our  hands  the  bread  and  the  wine, 
the  symbols  of  Christ's  perfect  atonement,  our  heavenly 
Father  is  saying  to  us,  by  the  assurances  of  his  word,  lying 
open  before  us — "These  exhibit  to  you,  Christ,  my  well-be- 
loved Son,  who  appeared  in  human  nature ;  who  was  humbled 
to  the  death  ;  and  died  for  you  ;  and  who  was  accepted  for 
you,  as  you  are  fully  assured  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
These  symbols,  now  placed  before  you,  on  my  table,  are  to  you 
what  the  flesh  of  the  peace  offering,  when  roasted  on  the 
altar,  and  presented  on  the  family  table  of  the  Lord, — was 
to  the  devout  worshipper  of  old.  Therein  contemplate  the 
divine  proof  set  before  you,  of  the  reality  of  Christ's  hu- 
man nature  ;  of  the  truth  of  his  substitution  ;  of  the  reality 
and  perfection  of  the  atonement.  He  was  not  consumed 
utterly  in  the  fire  of  justice.  Had  this  been  the  case,  there 
would  have  been  no  presentation  of  these  symbols  ;  even 
as  there  was  no  flesh  brought  from  the  altar  of  the  burnt 
offering.  Your  Redeemer  was  accepted  :  he  was  made  a 
peace  offering.  I  set  before  you,  my  ransomed  ones,  the 
full  evidence  of  these  things,  in  these  sacred  symbols.  I 
appoint  them,  as  my  holy  ordinance,  to  convey  to  you  a 
clear  and  impressive  exhibition  of  all  that  is  taught  of 
Christ's  person,  obedience,  sufferings,  and  death,  which  con- 
summated the  atonement.  I  do  hereby  certify  to  you, 
through  these  divine  symbols,  that  I  am  at  peace  with  you, 
through  this  all-perfect  satisfaction  to  my  law  and  justice. 
I  now  receive  you,  and  entertain  you,  at  this  table  of  re- 
conciliation, peace,  and  love.  I  do  here  communicate 
my  love,  and  peace  to  you.  I  am  well  pleased  with  you,  in 
my  beloved  Son.     Receive,  then,   these  symbols,  as  the 


400  THE    NATURE    AND    USES 

certain  assurance  of  all  this  from  the  hands  of  your  Heaven- 
ly Father." 

On  the  other  hand,  we  take  these  sacred  symbols  of 
Christ's  flesh  and  blood ;  and,  holding  them  up  in  deep  so- 
lemnity of  spirit,  we  say, — "  As  certainly  as  the  flesh  of  the 
peace  offering,  roasted  in  the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  set  upon 
the  table,  was  the  sure  evidence  of  the  accepted  sacrifice  ; 
and  as  certainly  as  the  joyful  partaking  of  that  prepared  food, 
by  all  the  members  of  the  offerers  thereof,  was  the  sure  sign 
and  pledge  of  their  partaking  of  the  sacrifice  on  the  altar  : — 
and  as  certainly  as  the  believing  worshipper  was  allowed,  in 
peace,  and  in  a  glorious  deliverance  from  the  devouring 
fire  of  the  altar,  to  eat  joyfully  of  the  peace  offering,  along 
with  their  reconciled  friends :  even  so,  these  symbols  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  exhibit  the  reality  of  Christ's  offering  of 
his  body  and  soul,  as  a  sacrifice  for  us.  They  exhibit  the 
certain  assurance  of  the  acceptance  of  that  sacrifice  for  us. 
For,  most  assuredly,  had  he  not  been  accepted,  no  flesh  of  the 
peace  offering  had  ever  been  set  on  this  table,  before  you  ; 
as  it  is  now,  most  evidently  set  before  you,  by  these  divine 
symbols  : — and  as  we  are  allowed  to  eat  and  drink  in  peace 
and  great  joy  before  him, — it  is  an  infallible  proof  that  the 
wrath  of  God  is  turned  away  from  us  ;  seeing  it  passed  over 
us,  and  fell  on  the  sacrifice  that  was  laid  on  the  altar.  And, 
hence,  we  have  the  divine  assurance  that  we  are  reconciled 
unto  our  God,  and  he  is  at  peace  with  us. 

This  exhibition,  by  these  simple  and  appropriate  symbols, 
was  designed  to  enlarge  our  spiritual  perceptions  of  Christ. 
And  it  does  enlarge  them.  We  perceive  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion through  him,  spread  out  before  us,  in  the  light  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  It  was  designed  also  to  confirm  our  faith  in 
him.  And  it  does  confirm  it.  It  was  designed  to  cherish 
our  holy  affections  to  him  ;  to  seal  on  our  spirits  the  as- 
surances of  his  peace  to  us,  and  our  personal  acceptance. 
And  it  does  so,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  certainly  as  the  spoken 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  401 

and  written  signs  of  language  do  convey  to  us  the  assuran- 
ces of  a  father's  love,  with  whom  we  hold  free  and  intimate 
correspondence.  "  If  the  Lord  had  intended  to  destroy  us, 
he  never  would  have  accepted  a  sin  offering  "  at  the  hands 
of  our  divine  Surety  ;  nor  would  he  receive  spiritual  offer- 
ings at  our  hands.  We  should,  in  that  case,  have  been 
consumed,  each  one  of  us,  as  a  burnt  offering  on  God's  al- 
tar of  justice  !  And  no  table  of  the  communion  of  his  love 
would  have  ever  been  spread  out  before  us,  by  our  heaven- 
ly Father. 

"  Let  us  love,  and  sing,  and  wonder, 
Let  us  praise  the  Saviour's  name ; 
He  has  hushed  the  law's  loud  thunder  ; 
He  has  quenched  Mount  Sinai's  flame  ; 
He  has  washed  us  with  his  blood, 
He  has  brought  us  nigh  to  God ! 

"  Let  us  wonder  :  grace  and  justice 
Join,  and  point  to  mercy's  store ; 
When  through  grace  in  Christ  our  trust  is, 
Justice  smiles,  and  asks  no  more; 
He  who  washed  us  in  his  blood 
Has  secured  our  way  to  God  ! 

*•'  Let  us  praise  and  join  the  chorus 
Of  the  saints  enthroned  on  high, 
Here  they  trusted  Him  before  us, 
Now  their  praises  fill  the  sky. 
'  Thou  hast  washed  us  with  thy  blood, 
Tho  art  worthy,  Lamb  op  God  !'  " 


CHAPTER  Vm. 


Various  uses  of  this  holy  ordinance — with  the  cor- 
responding PREPARATION,  AND  EXERCISES  REQUIRED 
OF    US  : — CONTINUED. 

1.  In  this  holy  festival  we  celebrate  our  devout  and  affec- 
tionate REMEMBRANCE  of  Christ.  We  obey  his  divine  com- 
mand to  the  letter  thereof.  We  cherish  his  memory  with 
deep  and  holy  emotions.  We  record,  in  the  indelible  re- 
membrance of  our  hearts,  his  divine  person.  He  is  God, 
and  he  is  man,  in  one  person.  Being  God's  eternal 
Son,  he  became,  as  our  Mediator,  the  Son  of  Man.  We 
cherish,  in  the  tenderest  and  most  affectionate  remembrance, 
his  humiliation  when  upon  earth  ;  his  spotless  and  exact 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  God's  government,  for  us  ;  his  in- 
effable sorrows  of  mind,  and  of  body,  when  his  "  soul  was 
exceedingly  sorrowful,  even  unto  death."  He  suffered  all 
the  pains  of  natural  death,  with  the  curse  unmitigated,  and 
unstintedly  poured  out  upon  his  soul.  Hence,  he  endured 
the  immeasurable  pains  of  hell,  for  us.  We  cherish  the  re- 
membrance of  his  atonement ;  and  of  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead ;  which  was  the  crowning  evidence  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  that  atonement.  We  celebrate  his  ascension  to  the 
throne  of  his  Father,  and  our  Father.  We  celebrate  his  in- 
tercession for  us,  unceasingly,  in  prayers,  which  are  never 


USES    OF    THIS    ORDINANCE.  403 

unnoticed,  or  unanswered.  And,  while  we  remember  all 
these  divine  things,  we  call  up  the  sweet  and  most  refresh- 
ing memory  of  his  divine  promises,  that  his  presence  will 
be  with  us,  individually  :  and  with  his  church,  collectively, 
to  the  end  of  all  time. 

He  is  absent  from  us,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  in  his  bodily 
presence.  He  is  present  with  us,  as  "  the  Great  God,  our 
Saviour."  He  is  absent, — and  we  remember  him  with  all 
our  souls  and  hearts.  As  Mediator,  he  is  absent  ;  but  he 
bears  us  on  his  heart,  in  his  all-prevailing  intercession  at 
the  heavenly  throne.  And  we  forget  him  not ;  but  always 
approach  the  throne  of  grace  through  him.  Our  Redeemer 
is  absent  from  us  ;  but  he  will  come  again, — "  without  sin, 
unto  salvation,"  to  receive  the  whole  family  of  the  ransom- 
ed into  heaven,  where  this  ordinance  will  vanish  away  be- 
fore the  purely  spiritual  communion  of  the  triumphant 
church,  in  unfading  glory.  Meantime,  we  shall  joyfully 
keep  up  his  remembrance  until  he  come.  And,  with  hum- 
ble, yet  lively  exultation,  shall  we  welcome  his  coming  to  us 
personally,  at  death  ;  and  his  last  coming  to  the  church  uni- 
versal, at  the  great  day  of  the  final  judgment. 

2.  In  this  holy  festival,  we  present  ourselves  before  God, 
angels,  and  men,  to  make  a  public  and  most  solemn  con- 
fession of  Jesus  Christ,  our  only  Saviour. 

They  who  sat  down  at  the  peace  offering,  of  old,  did 
thereby  declare,  in  the  most  public  manner,  thatthey  renounc- 
ed paganism,  and  the  rites,  and  vain  hopes  of  all  false  re- 
ligions. They  avouched  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  to  be  their 
God  ;  and  confessed  their  faith  and  hope  in  the  Messiah,, 
as  "all  their  salvation,  and  all  their  desire." 

So  do  we  at  the  Lord's  table.  We  rise  in  our  places,  and 
come  forward  before  all,  openly,  to  declare  that  we  renounce 
paganism,  and  all  the  errors  of  antichrist ;  and  all  the  works 
of  the  flesh  ;  and  all  self-righteousness ;  and  all  hopes  from 
the  works  of  the  law.     We  come,  at  our  Blessed  Master's 


404  THE  lord's  supper. 

bidding ;  and,  with  the  deep  solemnity  of  an  oath,  before 
the  Lord,  we  confess  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  our  only 
Saviour,  and  our  all-sufficient  Saviour.  We  declare  that  we 
have  "  put  off  the  old  man,"  with  his  works ;  and  do  anxious- 
ly wish  "  to  put  on  Jhe  new  man,  which,  after  God,  is  creat- 
ed in  righteousness  and  true  holiness."  We  do  cast  away 
from  us  all  human  contrivances,  and  every  meritorious 
work,  and  the  sacrifices  of  man's  invention,  to  appease 
God's  wrath,  and  open  a  way  to  the  heavenly  happiness. 
And  we  do,  with  unaffected  simplicity,  and  earnestness  of 
spirit,  accept  of  Christ,  in  all  his  divine  offices ; — as  our 
Prophet  to  teach  us,  and  lead  us  into  all  truth  ;  as  our  High 
Priest  to  atone  for  our  guilt,  and  make  continual  inter- 
cession for  us  ;  and  as  our  glorious  King  to  bring  us  into 
full  obedience  to  his  will ;  and  subdue  all  our  foes,  tempo- 
ral, and  spiritual. 

3,  We  appear  at  his  table,  as  witnesses  for  God,  in  all 
his  ways  of  wisdom,  and  justice,  and  severe  holiness,  and 
power,  and  boundless  goodness,  and  ineffable  love,  and 
mercy, — displayed  throughout  his  vast  empire,  of  universal 
nature,  of  particular  and  universal  providence  ;  and  of 
the  kingdom  of  grace  and  glory.  We  stand  up  as  wit- 
ness to  our  Lord's  supreme  Deity ;  and  to  the  everlast- 
ing covenant  of  grace  and  peace  ;  to  his  incarnation ; 
his  humiliation ;  his  submission  to  the  claims  of  law, 
and  justice  for  his  church  ;  his  obedience  to  the  law ; 
his  satisfaction  to  divine  justice ;  his  vicarious  suffer- 
ings, and  death  ;  his  rising  from  the  dead  ;  his  public  as- 
cension into  heaven  ;  his  intercession  ;  and  the  assurance  of 
the  promised  pledge  that  he  will  come  again  to  receive  us. 

We  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  to  declare,  in  a  public  man- 
ner, as  His  witnesses,  all  these  divine  truths.  And  we  do 
hold  them  forth  in  the  devout,  and  lofly  standard  of  our  pro- 
fession, before  God,  even  our  own  God,  in  the  covenant ; 
and  before  angels,  our  ministering  associates  ;  and  before 


USES    OF    THIS    ORDINANCE.  405 

the  doomed  spirits  of  darkness  ;  and  before  all  men.  We 
exult  and  rejoice  in  these  truths.  We  count  all  things  but 
mere  dust,  and  ashes,  in  comparison  with  them.  We  nail 
our  standard  openly  to  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and  there  we 
take  our  position  immoveably.  "  God  forbid  that  we  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom 
the  world  is  crucified  to  us,  and  we  unto  the  world."  And 
we  bind  ourselves  by  a  vow,  to  our  Lord,  that  we  shall  evince, 
by  a  holy  life,  that  we  are  faithful  witnesses  for  our  most 
blessed  Redeemer. 

"  Jesus  !  I  my  cross  have  taken ; 

All  to  leave,  and  follow  thee ; 
Naked,  poor,  despised,  forsaken, 

Thou  from  hence  my  all  shalt  be. 
Let  the  world  despise  and  leave  me; 

They  have  left  my  Saviour  too ; 
Human  hearts,  and  looks  deceive  me, 

Thou  art  not  like  them,  untrue! 
I  have  called  thee,  Abba,  Father  ! 

I  have  set  my  heart  on  thee. 
Storms  may  howl,  and  clouds  may  gather , 

All  must  work  for  good  to  me. 
Man  may  trouble,  and  distress  me  j 

'Twill  but  drive  me  to  thy  breast ; 
Life  with  trials  hard  may  press  me ; 

Heaven  will  bring  me  sweeter  rest ! 
Haste  thee  on  from  grace,  to  glory  ; 

Armed  by  faith,  and  winged  by  prayer  ; 
Heaven's  eternal  day's  before  thee : 

God's  own  hand  shall  guide  thee  there!" 


35 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SOME    FARTHER    USES    OF    THE    LORD's    SUPPER, AND    OUR 

CORRESPONDENT    ACTION    IN    IT: CONTINUED. 

In  the  festival  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  there  is  a  mutual 
COMMUNICATION.  There  is  a  formal  presentation,  and  of- 
fering of  Christ  to  us  :  and,  on  our  part,  we  do,  by  a  cor- 
responding act  of  faith,  accept  the  preferred  mercy,  and  re- 
ceive him  into  our  souls. 

The  sacred  symbols  are  not  merely  set  before  us,  for  an 
exhibition.  They  are  actually  placed  in  our  hands  ;  and 
placed  there  for  the  purpose  of  being  used  by  us.  We 
shall  never  be  saved  by  merely  locking  on,  as  spectators. 
In  the  presentation  of  the  symbols,  we  perceive  Christ  for- 
mally made  over  to  us  in  his  threefold  offices  ;  together  with 
every  benefit  resulting  from  his  gracious  exercise  of  these 
three  offices.  And  as  the  minister's  words  fall  on  my  ears, 
— "  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  broken  for  you, — take  this 
cup ; — drink  ye,  every  one  of  you,  of  it ;" — I  discern  the 
voice  of  my  heavenly  Father  making  over  to  me  his  beloved 
Son,  to  be  my  Saviour ;  and  conferring  on  me,  in  free 
grant,  and  gift,  every  blessing  of  his  redemption.  Thus 
God  communicates  with  us ;  and  we  renew  the  acts  of  our 
faith  in  him.     We  make   new,  and  fresh,  and   closer  ap- 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  407 

proaches  to  our  Redeemer.  From  him  do  we  derive  fresh 
and  cheering  illuminations.  By  his  Spirit  do  we  receive 
more  and  more  peace  ;  a  confirmed  and  readier  disposition, 
as  well  as  capacity,  to  resist  the  aggressions  of  Satan  ;  and 
overcome  all  sin,  and  temptation.  We,  thence,  receive  con- 
firming evidence  of  our  pardon  ;  by  fresh  cleansing  through 
the  blood  of  his  atonement ;  and  through  his  intercession. 
His  divine  love  flows  afresh  into  our  souls,  as  we  commune 
with  him.  Our  faith,  our  affections,  our  hopes,  our  desires 
are  all  enlarged,  and  invigorated.  Our  hearts  are  melted 
down  ;  they  flow  out :  they  "  follow  hard  after  him." — 
"  I  accept  thee  in  all  these  offers,  O  my  gracious,  and  lov- 
ing Redeemer !  Welcome  to  my  longing  soul !  Come,  in 
the  plentitude  of  thy  grace.  Oh !  come  unto  me.  I  am 
thine,  O  Blessed  Jesus  !  And  thou  art  mine.  No  other 
name  under  heaven  as  a  deliverer — do  I  know,  but  thine, 

0  my  Saviour  !  All  other  gods,  all  other  hopes,  all  other 
saviours  do  I  heartily  renounce,  and  utterly  cast  off.  To 
thee — to  thee  alone  do  I  fly.  To  thee  alone  do  I  cleave, 
with  all  my  heart  and  soul.  Receive  me — 0  my  God !  re- 
ceive me,  in  the  everlasting  covenant  of  love,  for  my  Re- 
deemer's sake. 

When  I  go  through  these  outward  acts  of  receiving  the 
sacred  symbols  of  bread  and  wine,  a  twofold  consequence 
follows.  They  are  incorporated  with  my  body ;  and  are  di- 
gested in  me.  The  next  result  is, — they  convey  nourish- 
ment to  me,  and  renewed  strength  for  duty. 

So,  when  in  spiritual  fellowship,  I  receive  Christ  Jesus 
by  faith,  I  am  incorporated  into  him  in  truth,  and  in  spirit. 

1  am  ONE  with  him.  I  can  never  fall  from  his  love,  and 
grace.  I  feel  his  holy  refreshing  presence  ever  near  me. 
I  derive  strength  from  the  delightful  assurances  of  his  love, 
and  the  renewing  efficacy  of  his  gracious  power.  I 
feel  the  cheering,  and  exhilarating  influence  of  his  pro- 
mises, brought  impressively  home  by  his  Spirit  to  my  heart. 


408  THE  lord's  supper. 

v 

These  promises  are  the  voice  of  my  God,  impressing  my 
soul  with  a  deep  sense  of  his  presence  ;  directing  me  ; 
counselling  me ;  protecting  me  ;  leading  me  in  the  plain 
paths  of  duty,  and  new  obedience.  And,  at  the  same  time, 
sealing  on  my  heart  the  delightful  and  ever-growing  assur- 
ances that  he  will  never  leave  me,  nor  forsake  me,  in  the 
hour  of  need.  He  will  bring  me  honorably,  and  safely  to 
heaven,  at  last.  "  Thou  wilt  guide  me  by  thy  counsel,  and 
afterwards  receive  me  to  glory." 

Hence,  the  pious  communicant  holds  this  meditation 
with  his  soul,  during  the  solemnity  of  the  sacramental  acts. 
"  0  my  Blessed  Saviour  !  I  perceive  thy  love  strongly 
manifested  in  this  divine  symbol  of  thy  broken  and  man- 
gled body,  and  thy  blood  poured  out,  in  the  agonies  of  thy 
soul,  in  Gethsamene,  and  on  the  cross.  Thou  didst  give 
thyself  for  me.  My  soul  springs  forward  to  thee,  to  em- 
brace thee.  I  behold  thy  terrible  agonies.  And  Oh  !  I  do 
abhor  the  sins, — these  sins  of  mine,  which  brought  thee  to 
the  cross,  and  to  the  dust  of  death !  Yes,  my  Saviour,  they 
shall  die.  Oh  !  grant  me  this  boon — this  lasting  favour 
— to  be  crucified  to  the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and  lusts  ! — 
Thou  didst  die  for  me !  Thy  death  was  my  death,  to  the 
law,  and  to  sin.  I  die  with  thee  to  the  power  of  indwelling 
sin.  Thou  didst  rise  from  the  dead,  that  I  might  rise 
from  the  grave  of  guilt  and  defilement.  I  live  with  thee,  by 
the  quickening  power  of  thy  grace.  I  shall  live  with  thee 
in  heaven, — in  my  body,  as  well  as  my  soul  ;  when  "  I 
shall  rise  in  thy  likeness,  and  "  be  satisfied  with  thy  like- 
ness, when  I  awake." 

Thus,  Christ  is  made  over  to  us,  in  the  glory  of  his  per- 
son, and  the  fulness  of  his  graces,  and  gifts-  We  yield  to 
him  our  bodies,  and  our  souls.  We  yield  him  our  love, 
and  our  obedience  ;  in  life,  and  in  death.  This  mutual 
communion  affords  us  the  joys  of  "  the  days  of  heaven  upon 
earth."     Herein  we  have  the  pleasures  of  divine  know- 


THE    USES   OF   THIS    ORDINANCE.  409 

ledge  ;  the  pleasures  of  faith  ;  the  pleasures  of  penitence, — 
plaintive,  and  pleasing  as  they  are  ;  the  pleasures  of  spiri- 
tual hope,  and  of  lofty  anticipations  ;  the  pleasures  of  com- 
munion with  Christians  ;  the  pleasures  of  pleasing  God, 
our  Heavenly  Father,  through  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the 
sanctification  of  the  Holy  Ghost ! 

"  O  happy  day  !  that  fixed  my  choice 
On  thee,  my  Saviour,  and  my  God ! 
Well  may  this  glowing  heart  rejoice, 
And  tell  its  raptures  all  abroad. 

0  happy  bond  that  seals  my  vows, 
To  HIM  who  merits  all  my  love  ! 
Let  cheerful  anthems  fill  his  house, 
While  to  that  sacred  shrine  I  move. 
'Tisdone  ! — The  great  transaction's  done. 

1  am  my  Lord's  ;  and  he  is  mine. 
He  drew  me,  and  I  followed  on, — 
Charmed  to  confess  the  voice  divine. 
Now  rest,  my  long-divided  heart : 
Fixed  on  this  blissful  centre,  rest. 

With  ashes,  who  would  grudge  to  part, 
When  called  on  angels'  bread  to  feast  1 
High  Heaven  that  heard  the  solemn  vow, 
That  vow  renewed,  shall  daily  hear : 
Till  in  life's  latest  hour  I  bow ; 
And  bless  in  death,  a  bond  so  dear !" 


35* 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    NATURE    AND    USE    OF    THE    HOLY    SUPPER,     AND     OUR 
CORRESPONDING    EXERCISE    IN    IT  : CONTINUED. 

Hence,  we  are  led  to  observe,  that  this  sacrament  is  a 
SEAL  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  And  this  view  of  it  exhi- 
bits another  class  of  these  holy  and  intimate  joys  of  com- 
munion with  God,  which  we  have  been  enumerating. 

Every  covenant  of  old  was  confirmed  and  sealed  with 
blood.  Even  personal  covenants  were  thus  sealed  ;  such 
as  that  of  Jacob  and  Laban.  Jacob  ratified,  and  sealed  his 
covenant  with  his  relative,  by  offering  a  sacrifice,  and  rear- 
ing a  memorial.  This  sacrifice  was  offered  to  the  Most 
High.  And  in  his  doing  this,  we  are  to  view  him  as  ap- 
proaching with  humility,  and  godly  fear,  to  Him,  as  he 
said  : — "  0  God,  most  holy,  just,  and  merciful,  I  offer  up 
this  sacrifice  to  thee,  in  faith  of  the  coming  Messiah, — thy 
Lamb,  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  who  is  to  die 
a  sacrifice  for  us  in  due  time.  Through  this  blood,  about 
to  be  shed  for  me,  and  here  typified,  and  impressively  ex- 
hibited  to  my  faith, — I  obtain  pardon,  sweet  peace,  and  di- 
vine  grace,  to  help  me.  And,  as  I  do  receive  pardon,  and 
peace  through  this  sacrifice,  so  be  this  present  sacrifice  the 
witness  of  my  pardoning  my  father  Laban.  And  I  do  this 
in  thy  fear,  believing  that,  as  the  fire  falls  on  the  victim  of 


OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER.  411 

the  sacrifice,  so  will  thy  wrath  fall  on  him,  who  shall  break 
this  covenant,  and  pass  over  this  memorial,  to  injure  his 
fellow,  who  participates  with  him  in  these  solemn  rites." 

So  is  the  covenant  of  grace  ratified,  and  sealed  with 
blood.  "  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission 
of  sin."  "  Die  we,  or  justice  must."  Our  divine  substitute, 
as  we  have  seen, — stood  up  in  our  behalf.  The  conven- 
tion of  peace  was  between  him,  and  the  Father.  The  con- 
dition was,  that  our  sins  should  be  laid  on  him,  and  that  he 
should  do  what  we  should  have  done  ;  and  should  suflTer,  in 
his  body  and  soul,  all  that  was  due  to  divine  justice  from  us, 
his  chosen  people.  He  fulfilled  the  condition  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  even  to  the  letter.  To  the  law,  he  gave  the 
most  perfect  obedience  in  his  holy  nature.  To  divine  jus- 
tice, and  the  law's  penalty,  he  yielded  up  his  life.  He  died 
on  the  cross,  covered  with  his  streaming  blood.  This  was 
all  that  could  be  required.  The  holiness  and  faithfulness  of 
God  re-echoed  our  Saviour's  last  words, — "  It  is  finished  !" 
And  accordingly,  by  the  same  token,  he  raised  him  from  the 
dead. 

The  meaning  of  that  remarkable  expression  is  now  evi- 
dent,— "  This  is  the  new  covenant,  or  testament,  in  my 
blood."  On  condition  of  his  answering  all  claims  against 
his  church,  he  was  to  have  his  church  put  in  possession  of 
pardon,  peace,  and  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  glory.  The 
shedding  of  his  blood,  or,  the  yielding  up  of  his  life,  was 
the  fulfilment  of  the  condition,  even  to  the  very  letter  of  the 
requirement.  And,  as  certainly  as  Christ  died,  so  certain- 
ly is  his  "  church  bought  by  his  own  blood ;"  and  is  en- 
titled to  every  blessing  of  grace  and  glory,  promised,  on  that 
condition,  in  the  everlasting  covenant.  "The  new  cove- 
nant was  thus  sealed  by  his  blood." 

Now,  this  holy  festival,  with  its  divinely  instituted  sym- 
bols, exhibits  to  us  this  seal  of  the  covenant.  That  is,  it  ex- 
hibits the  fact  of  Christ's  death,  which  ratified,  and  sealed 


412  THE    NATURE    AND    USE 

the  transaction.  This  bread,  cut  and  broken  to  pieces,  ex- 
hibits the  certain  fact  of  his  body  having  been  scourged,  and 
mangled  in  death.  This  cup  exhibits  the  certain  fact,  that 
his  blood,  that  is,  his  life,  was  poured  out  for  us.  And 
to  make  assurance  doubly  sure,  the  bread  and  the  wine  are 
given  separately ;  and  used  in  succession,  distinctly ; 
thereby  giving  us  the  impressive  assurance  that  his  blood, 
that  is, — his  life,  was  separated  from  his  body.  Hence,  the 
pious  communicant  says  this  to  himself,  while  in  the  actual 
enjoyment  of  the  divine  seal  : — "  As  certainly  as  this  is 
bread,  and  this  is  wine ;  so  certainly  am  I  assured  that 
Christ  partook  of  the  body  and  blood  of  human  nature.  As 
certainly  as  this  bread  is  cut  and  broken  before  my  eyes  ; — so 
certainly  was  my  Redeemer  put  to  a  most  painful  death  for  us. 
As  certainly  as  this  bread,  and  this  wine,  were  presented  to 
me  ;  and  put  into  my  hands,  and  I  eat  the  one,  and  drank 
the  other  ;  so  certain  am  I,  that  my  Redeemer  is  freely 
made  over  to  me,  for  all  the  purposes  for  which  he  gave 
himself,  and  died  for  me.  As  certainly  as  I  am  warranted 
to  take,  and  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup,  so  cer- 
tain am  I,  that  I  am  fully  warranted  to  take  Christ  for  my 
all-sufficient  and  gracious  Saviour.  As  certainly  as  this  is 
a  feast  upon  a  sacrifice  ;  and  as  certainly  as  I  commune  in 
eating,  and  in  drinking  with  these,  my  brethren,  so  certain 
am  I  that  I  commune  with  the  Triune  God  ;  and  that 
THE  Triune  God  communes  with  me.  As  certainly  qs 
bread  and  wine  nourish,  strengthen,  and  cheer  man ;  so  cer- 
tainly does  the  rich  grace  of  my  Redeemer,  secured  to  me 
by  his  death,  and  applied  to  me  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  nourish 
my  soul ;  and  strengthen  me  ;  and  thence  fill  me  with  the 
joys  of  God's  salvation,  and  preparation  for  all  duty,  and 
for  all  suffering,  and  my  dying  hour. 

And,  as  we  thus  employ  the  Holy  Supper  as  a  seal,  by 
the  authority,  and  faithfulness  of  God,  does  it  actually  con- 
duce, as  a  seal  appended  to  a  deed,  to  call  up  the  rem  em- 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  413 

brance  of  Christ ;  to  strengthen  our  faith ;  remove  our 
doubts  ;  and  make  us  "  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the 
power  of  his  might."  Our  Lord  ordained  it  for  this  very 
purpose.  And  he  cannot  fail  in  making  it  a  blessing  for 
that  end.  When  we  open,  and  read  a  letter  of  farewell 
left  to  us,  to  be  frequently  perused  in  his  absence, — does 
not  every  sentence,  and  every  word,  call  up  the  image  of 
our  friend  ,  his  kindness,  and  his  love  1  When  we  look  on 
a  token, — a  ring,  for  instance,  given  to  us  in  remembrance 
of  a  very  dear  friend, — just  as  often  as  we  look  on  it,  do 
not  his  features,  his  looks,  his  words  of  love,  and  a  thou- 
sand tender  things, — all  flash  upon  our  memory,  and  excite 
our  warmest  afl?ection  of  the  heart  to  him  ?  And  shall  not  an 
ordinance,  appointed  by  our  dear  and  blessed  Redeemer,  ex- 
pressly to  commemorate  all  that  he  has  done  for  us  ;  and  to 
seal  the  assurances  of  his  love  to  his  own ;  and  the  joyful  cer- 
-tainty  of  his  coming  again, — call  up  the  fondest  remem- 
brance of  him  ;  and  the  liveliest  gratitude  for  all  his  love, 
and  grace  to  us  ;  and  cherish,  in  the  tenderest  and  most 
lasting  affection  of  our  heart  to  him,  while  we  have  our  be- 
ing on  the  earth  ? 

Hence,  by  the  will  of  Christ,  and  his  faithfulness  to  us, 
we  rise  up  from  the  Table  of  the  Lord,  instructed,  delighted, 
and  strengthened  in  the  inner  man  ;  animated,  and  con- 
firmed in  the  assurance  of  divine  hope.  And,  like  Elijah, 
when  visited  by  an  angel,  and  fed  by  a  meal  from  heaven, 
in  the  wilderness,  when  hungry,  faint,  and  forlorn, — we 
go  on  through  our  pilgrimage,  not  merely  forty  days  and 
forty  nights,  as  the  prophet  did,  but  during  the  whole  course 
of  our  lives,  until  "  we  reach  the  Mount  of  God,"  and 
the  New  Jerusalem  ;  and  are  ushered  into  the  uninter- 
rupted  communion  of  the  triumphant  Church  in  the  ever- 
lasting glory  of  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


ANOTHER    IMPORTANT    USE    OF    THE    LORD's     SUPPER AND 

OUR    CORRESPONDING    DEVOTIONAL    EXERCISE    IN    IT. 

What  has  been  advanced  will  lead  us  to  understand 
that  part  of  our  Lord's  injunction,  "  Shew  ye  forth  the 
Lord's  death." 

We  show  it  forth  to  God,  our  Heavenly  Father.  "WTien 
overtaken  by  temptation ;  or  when  bowed  down  in  shame, 
and  confusion,  under  some  outbreaking  of  the  sin  that 
dwelleth  in  us,  we  betake  ourselves  speedily  to  the  only  City 
of  Refuge.  We  fly  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  to  obtain  re- 
lief. We  hold  up  the  merits  of  our  Redeemer.  We  show 
forth  his  death,  in  the  view  of  the  throne  of  Justice ;  and 
we  cry  out ; — "  See,  0  God,  this  our  shield  ;  look  upon  us 
in  the  face  of  thine  anointed."  And  our  Heavenly  Father, 
who  "  is  well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake,"  smiles  on 
us,  in  him  ;  excites  due  penitence  in  our  hearts ;  and  holy 
resolutions  of  increasing  watchfulness,  and  a  purer  life. 
And  he  restores  to  us  the  pleasing  consciousness  of  our 
pardon,  by  causing  his  divine  love  to  be  shed  abroad  in  us  ; 
and  to  abound  to  us  in  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ  to  the  great  enemy  of 


OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER.  416 

our  souls, — even  Satan,  and  his  hosts  of  foes  and  emis- 
saries. These  busy  enemies  are  continually  "  walking 
about,  like  roaring  lions,  seeking  whom  they  may  devour." 
They  assail  us,  in  every  possible  way,  to  draw  us  into  sin, 
and  apostacy  from  the  truth.  Every  opportunity  they  watch 
to  hurry  us  into  crimes  by  the  sudden  surprise  of  temptation. 
We  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ  to  them  :  and,  thence, 
signify  our  holy  defiance  of  them ;  and  all  their  temptations. 
We  admit  the  charges  of  sin,  and  folly,  and  unbelief, 
brought  against  us  by  the  fell  accuser  of  the  brethren.  We 
confess  all,  with  deep  sorrow,  before  our  God.  And  we 
come  up,  afresh,  to  the  throne  of  grace,  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  And,  being  clothed  with  his  unspotted  righteous- 
ness, we  receive  the  ready  and  free  pardon  of  them  all :  and 
the  divine  assurance  superadded  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
Satan  shall  be  put  under  our  feet  shortly,  in  a  joyful  triumph 
over  all  sin,  and  every  temptation  of  this  present  evil 
world. 

We  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ  to  the  world.  We  glory 
in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  exult  with  joy  unspeakable,  in  our 
crucified  Saviour.  We  throw  back  the  world's  imputations  ; 
and  we  despise  its  short-lived  scorn.  We  are  not  only  not 
ashamed  to  own  him  most  publicly :  but  we  rejoice  and 
exult  in  his  blessed,  but  self-mortifying  doctrines  ;  and  in 
his  laws,  and  his  ordinances,  as  our  sovereign  King. 
The  world  may  despise,  and  pour  its  contempt  on  us.  We 
despise  its  pride,  its  vanity,  and  beggarly  elements.  We 
pity  its  follies,  its  crimes,  its  splendid  poverty,  and  compli- 
cated miseries  ;  while  it  remains  far  from  God,  and  while 
God  is  far  from  it. — We  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ,  as 
that  which  heals  all  wounds ;  which  cures  all  diseases  ; 
which  casts  out  all  follies ;  and  opens  up  the  new  and  liv- 
ing way  to  a  glorious  immortality  in  Immanuel's  land. 
There  the  wretched  beings  who  despise  God,  and  blaspheme 


416  THE    NATURE    AND    USE 

Christ,  can   never  enter.     We  part  at  the  gate  of  heaven. 
And  we  part  to  meet  no  more  ! 

We  show  forth  the  death  of    Christ  to  our   own   con- 
sciences.— When  a  lurking  enemy  assails  us,  by   means  of 
some  constitutional  failing,   and   some  unsubdued  passion, 
and  lust ;  and   we,  thence,   are  hurried  into  the  sin  which 
most  easily  besets  us ;  then  are  we  brought  into  darkness, 
and  painful  despondency,  for  a  season.     We  become  the 
prey  of  tormenting  self-reproaches.      We  have  no  heart, — 
no  love  for  duty.     We  dare  not,  in  our  darkness  and  sor- 
rows, approach  God   in  prayer.     We  feel  more  like  crimi- 
nals slowly  and  reluctantly  dragged  to  the  tribunal ;  than 
God's  own  children,  coming  to  our  Father  on  the  throne  of 
grace.     We   are  overwhelmed  with  vexation   and   sorrow  ; 
while  an  awakened  conscience  sharpens  the  arrows  of  keen 
self-reproach,  which  overwhelms  us.    But,  "  when  we  come  to 
ourselves,"  we  fly  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     W^e  cry  out  in 
bitterness  for  relief.    "  Oh  !  my  God, — my  merciful  Father, 
look  on  me,  thy  poor  fallen  child  ;  and  raise  me  up."     I  lie 
down  in  my  shame,  and  my  confusion  covers  me.  But  I  has- 
ten to  betake  myself  to  Christ  Jesus,  whose  blood  cleanseth 
me  from  all  sin.    I  repent  bitterly  of  this  sin,  which,  as  a  very 
dark  cloud,  has  risen  up  between  thy  face,  and  my  troubled 
soul.  I  come,  dear  Lord, — I  come  in  lowliness  and  sorrow  to 
the  table  of  Christ.     I  must  come,  O  my  God.     I  dare  not 
add  sin  to  my  former  sin,  by  thus  making  myself  so  unfit, 
and  then   absenting  myself  from  thee,  0  my  merciful  Fa- 
ther, and  Saviour,  and  Sanctifier.     Wash  me,  O  Lord,  and 
make  me  clean.     Oh !  Take  away  the  guilt,  and  the  over- 
whelming shame   of  this  iniquity  from  me.     Restore  unto 
me  the  joys  of  thy  salvation.     Here, — at  length, — here  at 
thy  Table,  0  my  God,  I  hold  up  Christ,  and  him  crucified, 
as  my  sacrifice,  and  the  laver  of  my  regeneration,  and  all 
my  holiness.     I  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ  to   my  chid- 
ing conscience.     I  confess  freely  all  my  sins.     And  I 


417 

point  to  Christ,  on  whom  I  take  fresh  hold,  by  faith,  for  re. 
turning  peace,  and  joy, — the  fruits  of  his  pardoning  grace* 
And  I  cry  out, — "  Here  is  my  Saviour  !  Here  is  my  par- 
don sealed  to  my  soul,  by  him  !  I  shall  have  dominion 
over  all  sin  in  due  time."  And,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I 
obtain  the  answer,  and  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience, 
because  it  sees  in  the  Holy  Supper,  the  sealed  pardon,  and 
the  promise  of  divine  grace  to  conquer  every  sin. 

And  at  the  approach  of  death,  I  shall  show  forth  to  that 
'*  last  enemy,"  the  death  of  my  dear,  and  most  merciful  Sa- 
viour. When  nature  sinks,  I  will,  in  the  strength  of  his 
grace,  cry  out, — "  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  !  0  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  !"  Thou  comest  to  dissolve  me.  But 
when  1  walk  with  thee  in  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death, — I  will  fear  no  evil.  For  thou,  O  my  Redeemer  ! 
THOU  art  with  me.  Thy  rod,  and  thy  staff, — they  shall  com- 
fort me.  Christ  has  taken  away  the  curse  from  all  my 
afflictions.  And  he  has  tiken  away  the  sting, — even  the  pe- 
nal curse  of  death.  My  dear  lledeemer  died, — not  only  to 
ransom  me, — but  to  teach  me  how  to  die.  He  was  laid  in 
the  grave,  and  he  rose  again,  to  show  me  that  the  grave, — 
the  dark  and  gloomy  grave, — is  not  a  prison,  but  a  bed  of 
rest ;  from  which  we  shall  assuredly  be  awakened  at  the 
morning  of  the  joyful  day  of  eternity !  He  rose  in  his  glo- 
ry.  And  his  body,  in  its  present  glorified  state  in  heaven, 
is  the  bright  form  after  which  our  raised  bodies  shall  be  mo- 
delled. — "  This  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality  :  and  this 
corruptible  shall  put  on  incorruption." 

This  purpose  and  work  of  my  exalted  Redeemer,  are  ful. 
ly  exhibited  to  me,  in  this  Holy  Supper  ;  and  they  are  seal- 
ed in  the  divine  assurances  of  my  God,  upon  my  heart. 
Thence,  I  derive  joy,  and  heavenly  peace.  And  thence, 
also,  I  shall  receive  complete  deliverance  from  the  fears  of 
death.  This  is  done  in  the  way  of  strengthening,  and  ma- 
luring  all  the  graces  within  me  ;  and,  thence,  by  weakening 
36 


418  OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER. 

and  destroying  all  the  remains  of  sin  in  me ;  and  remov- 
ing the  footholds  of  the  enemies  of  my  soul,  who  assail  me, 
and  threaten  to  destroy  me.  For,  whatever  strengthens  and 
ripens  divine  grace  in  us  ;  does  really  weaken  and  destroy 
sin  ;  and  thence,  it  removes  distressing  doubts,  and  fears. 
And  by  all  this,  are  faith  and  hope  brought  forward  into  a 
joyful  triumph  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

ODE. 

"  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 

Let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly ; 
While  the  billows  near  me  roll, 

While  the  tempest  still  is  high. 
Hide  me,  O  my  Saviour  !  hide, 

Till  the  storm  of  life  be  past; 
Safe  into  the  haven  guide: 

Oh  !  receive  my  soul  at  last ! 

"  Other  refuge  have  I  none  ; 

Lo  !  I  helpless  hang  on  thee : 
Leave,  oh  !  leave  me  not  alone, 

Lest  I  basely  shrink  and  flee. 
Thou  art  all  my  trust,  and  aid  ; 

All  my  help  from  thee  I  bring ; 
Cover  my  defenceless  head. 

With  the  shadow  of  thy  wing  ! — 

"  Let  the  world  pronounce  its  shame! 

Fling  its  scandals  on  His  cause. 
We  will  boast  our  Saviour's  name. 

We  will  triumph  in  his  cross ! 
We  will  tell  the  scoffing  age, 

He— the  dead,  has  left  the  tomb : 
Now  he  lives  above  their  rage ; 

And  we're  waiting  till  he  comes  ! " 


CHAPTER  XII. 


ON    THE    DESIGN    AND    END    OF     THE     LORD's    SUPPER,    AND 
OUR    CORRESPONDING    EXERCISE    THEREIN. 

Finally : — It  is  manifest,  from  all  that  has  been  now  ad- 
vanced, that  in  this  holy  festival,  a  covenant  is  mutually  ra- 
tified between  God,  and  us,  his  people.  Here  are  the  words 
of  this  federal  transaction  between  us, — "  They  shall  call 
on  my  name,  and  I  will  hear  them  :  I  will  say,  it  is  my 
people :  and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord  is  my  God."  Zech. 
xiii.  9.  "  What  God  is  in  himself,  that  He  is  to  them  for 
their  good."  He  makes  himself  over  to  them  as  their  God. 
His  wisdom  is  theirs,  to  direct  them.  His  righteousness  is 
theirs,  to  make  them  righteous  before  his  awful  tribunal. 
His  justice  stands  pledged  never  to  let  the  sentence  of  justi- 
fication be  reversed.  His  Holy  Spirit  is  theirs,  to  make 
them  holy.  His  kindness,  and  watchful  care  in  providence  are 
theirs,  to  supply  them  with  all  needful  blessings.  His 
power  is  theirs,  to  protect  them  from  every  foe.  His  faith- 
fulness  is  theirs,  to  secure  the  accomplishment  of  the  whole 
work  of  grace.  And  his  eternity  is  theirs,  to  secure  the 
everlasting  duration  of  their  kingdom,  their  felicity,  and 
their  glory !  All  this  is  secured  in  the  pledge  of  the  cove- 
nant, I  AM  THY  God  :   ye  are  my  people  ! 

On  the  other  side,  when  we  say,  as  we  do   say,   in   this 


420     DESIGN  AND  END  OF  THE  LORd's  SUPPER. 

Holy  Supper, — "  The  Lord  is  my  God,"  we  do  give  our- 
selves away  to  Him.  We  bind  ourselves  to  shun  all  sin  : 
we  devote  our  souls,  and  bodies  to  the  Most  Holy  Triune 
God  ;  to  serve  him  with  every  faculty  of  body,  and  mind, 
and  heart ;  in  every  duty,  and  in  every  trial,  and  condition 
of  life.  We  put  ourselves  under  his  wisdom,  for  guidance: 
under  his  righteousness,  for  personal  pardon  and  acceptance  : 
his  justice,  for  our  everlasting  security  :  his  Spirit,  for 
growth  in  grace  :  his  kind  providence,  for  every  supply  : 
his  divine  power,  for  the  conquest  of  every  foe  :  his  faith- 
fulness, for  the  glorious  consummation  of  the  good  work  of 
his  grace  :  and  his  eternity,  as  the  infallible  guarantee  of 
our  ever-enduring  glory,  and  happiness. 

And  we  seal  this  covenant  by  the  solemnity  of  an  oath. 
Hence,  it  is  most  appropriately  called  the  sacrament,  in 
allusion  to  the  oath  by  which  the  soldier  bound  himself  to 
his  country,  and  to  his  general,  for  life. 

ODE. 

"  Lord  !  I  am  thine,  entirely  thine  ; 
Purchased,  and  saved  by  blood  divine. 
With  full  consent,  thine  would  I  be, 
And  own  thy  sov'reign  right  in  me. 
Here,  Lord,  my  flesh,  my  soul,  my  all, 
I  yield  to  thee  beyond  recal. 
Accept  thine  own,  so  long  withheld  ; 
Accept  what  I  would  freely  give. 
Thine  would  I  live, — thine  would  1  die  ! 
Be  thine  through  all  eternity  ! 
The  vow  is  past  beyond  repeal ; 
And  here  I  set  the  solemn  seal !" 


PART  II. 

DEVOTIONAL  INSTRUCTION  TO  GUIDE  THE  YOUNG 
COMMUNICANT  TO  THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LORD, 


CHAPTER  I. 


A     GENERAL    VIEW    OP    THE    OBLIGATIONS    LAID    ON    US,    TO 
ENGAGE    IN    THIS    IMPORTANT    DUTY. 

"  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me," 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  You  have  heard,  my  dear  youth,  that  the  divine  com- 
mand to  show  forth  the  Lord's  death,  is  peremptory.  No 
one  precept  has  a  more  binding  and  constraining  obligation 
than  this.  Our  heavenly  Father  moves  us  by  his  paternal 
love,  to  commemorate  his  divine  grace.  And  can  we  re- 
fuse him  our  most  cordial  love,  and  obedience?  Our  Re- 
deemer binds  us,  by  the  fascinating  power  of  his  love,  to 
celebrate,  in  this  ordinance,  his  unsearchable  grace  and 
mercy.  And  never  was  a  more  melting  appeal  made  to  the 
human  heart  than  this  : — "If  you  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments." "Do  this  in  remembrance  of  ME.  Do  it 
until  I  come  again."  And  as  the  Holy  Spirit  "glorifies 
Christ  by  taking  the  things  which  are  his,  and  showing 
them  to  us  :"  while  he  urgently   impresses  them  on  our 

36* 


422  THE  lord's  suppkr. 

minds  ;  and  awakes  the  soul  to  an  exact  obedience,  render- 
ed in  all  the  cordiality  of  love  by  us,  our  refusal  to  com- 
memorate the  death  of  Christ  in  the  Holy  Supper,  is  no- 
thing less  than  a  criminal,  and  dangerous  resistance  offered 
to  the  Holy  Ghost ! — Take  these,  I  beg  you,  into  serious 
consideration. 

2.  This  command  of  God  you  cannot  set  aside.  He 
will  be  obeyed.  It  must  be  done  by  you  under  the  penalty 
of  high  treason  against  our  sovereign  king.  Can  you  tri- 
fle with  the  injunction  of  the  Most  High?  Beware  of 
thinking  that  it  is  left  optional  with  you  to  be  neutral.  No 
one  can  be  neutral  here  !  We  must  be  for  Christ,  or,  we  are 
against  him.  It  is  not  left  to  us  to  judge  whether  we  shall  obey 
him,  or  not  obey  him,  and  thence  neglect  the  Lord's  Supper. 
To  suppose  this  power  of  choice  left  to  his  own  subjects,  is 
to  assume  that  the  Almighty  Sovereign  will  allow  his  divine 
laws  to  be  trifled  with,  and  nullified  with  impunity.  To  sup- 
pose, therefore,  that  you  may  with  safety,  neglect  this  ordi- 
nance, is  to  say  with  the  fool  in  your  heart, — that  the  Lord 
has  abdicated  his  throne,  and  has  ceased  to  rule  in  Zion. 
To  suppose  this,  is  to  assume  that  rebels  triumph.  To 
suppose,  therefore,  that  we  may  be  excused  in  the  constant 
neglect,  and  open  breach  of  this  most  solemn  command,  is 
to  betake  ourselves  to  the  monstrous  imagination  that  God 
will  pass  with  utter  impunity,  the  neglect,  and  contemptuous 
breach  of  every  one  of  the  ten  commands  ! 

3.  Many  are  satisfied  with  the  belief  that  they  are  excusable 
for  neglecting  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they  are 
not  yet  in  a  state  of  grace.  This  is  a  very  common,  but  I  must 
tell  you,  a  very  fatal  delusion.  It  is  a  direct  attempt  to  pal- 
liate rebellion  against  God.  Upon  the  same  supposition, 
every  man  may  plead  his  excuse  for  the  neglect  of*  prayer, 
and  every  other  duty.  '  I  am  not  in  a  state  of  grace  ; 
therefore  I  need  not  conceive  myself  enjoined  to  do  any 
duty.     I  am  not  in  a  state  of  preparedness;  therefore  I 


OBLIGATIONS    TO    ENGAGE    IN    IT.  423 

need  not  keep  any  of  God's  ten  commands  !'  Ah  !  my 
dear  youth,  this  is  nothing  short  of  a  denial  of  the  Holy 
One.  It  is  the  undisguised  language  of  atheism.  Our 
want  of  grace,  and  of  the  necessary  power  to  do  our  duty, 
is  the  necessary  and  fatal  result  of  our  own  apostacy.  Yet, 
here,  the  position  is  criminally  assumed,  in  the  face  of  this 
palpable  fact,  that  our  want  of  grace,  and  want  of  power  to  do 
our  duty,  can  be  pleaded  as  an  excuse  for  neglecting  the  most 
clearly  defined  duties.  This  dangerous  sentiment  implies 
that  rebellion  against  lawful  power  sets  aside  the  claims  of 
that  lawful  power  ;  that  rebellion  against  God  sets  us  free 
from  his  divine  claims  of  obedience ;  that  our  want  of 
paiver,  and  of  ivill  to  obey,  although  it  be  the  immediate 
fruit  of  our  inexcusable  rebellion,  does,  nevertheless,  set 
us  free  from  the  obligations  of  duty  to  our  Maker  !  I  im- 
plore you  to  guard  against  this  too  general,  and  very  fatal 
error. 

4.  It  is  equalled  only  by  a  singular  and  popular  error, 
which  would  carry  you  into  an  opposite  extreme.  I  allude 
to  the  strange  doctrine  that  has  been  advanced  as  an  infer- 
ence from  the  fact  of  God's  command  laid  on  us.  That 
command,  it  is  said,  does  imply  that  we  have  powers  to 
obey  it  fully,  even  in  our  own  depraved  and  unassisted  na- 
ture. That  is  to  say, — the  disposition,  and  power  to  obey, 
is  not  the  gift  of  God,  but  is  lodged  in  man,  fallen,  desti- 
tute, and  helpless  as  he  is  ! 

If  you  have  profited  by  the  instructions  which  we  have 
set  before  you  in  Book  I.  of  this  volume,  it  is  not  probable 
that  you  will  fall  into  either  of  these  two  dangerous  ex- 
tremes. 

Be  assured,  my  dear  youth,  that  both  reason,  and  holy 
Scripture  assure  you,  that  no  want  of  will,  nor  want  of  co- 
pacity  to  do  our  duty  to  God,  can  ever  be  set  forth  as  a  plea 
of  exemption  from  our  duty  to  God.  There  is  fitness,  and 
strength  every  way  suitable,  and  ample  enough,  for  all  our 


424  THE  lord's  supper. 

duty.  But,  surely,  that  is  not  found  in. the  fallen,  deprav- 
ed, and  spiritually  dead.  You  have,  I  trust,  not  so  learn- 
ed  Christ,  my  dear  youth.  There  is  every  necessary  gift ; 
there  is  capacity  and  fitness,  ample  enough  to  qualify  us  for 
every  duty  required  at  our  hands.  But  all  gifts,  and  all 
rich  grace  are  from  him  whom  we  rejoice  to  call  "  The 
Lord  our  righteousness,  and  our  strength." 

5.  The  relation  subsisting  between  Creator  and  creature, 
manifestly  implies  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one  of  us  in- 
stcmtly  to  comply  with  the  divine  command.  If  he  has  the 
right  to  command, — that  command  enjoins  peremptory  and 
instant  obedience.  The  permission  to  delay,  would  be  an 
allowance  to  remain  in  rebellion.  That  cannot  be.  Now, 
he  does  command  you,  dear  youth,  "  to  show  forth  the  death 
of  Christ"  in  this  Holy  Supper.  Hence,  it  is  the  most  so. 
lemn  and  indispensable  duty  of  every  one  of  you,  without 
exception,  to  render  prompt  obedience  to  him.  And, 
hence,  it  is  the  solemn  and  most  urgent  duty  of  every  one 
of  you,  instantly,  to  betake  yourselves  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  faith,  and  penitence  ;  to  yield  yourselves  up  to 
him  ;  to  receive  out  of  his  fulness,  grace,  for  grace.  And, 
thus,  having  given  yourselves  to  the  Lord,  it  is  your  duty 
to  present  yourselves,  without  delay,  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord. 

6.  Ah !  my  dear  youth,  how  painful  is  it  to  see  men,  wise, 
sober,  and  discreet  on  every  other  point,  permitting  them- 
selves to  "wrong  their  own  souls,"  by  trifling  most  crimi- 
nally with  the  law  of  Almighty  God,  and  the  love  of  Jesus 
Christ.  They  venture  to  take  refuge  in  the  excuse  of  their 
want  of  that  grace,  and  due  preparation  that  are  required. 
They  actually  fabricate  an  excuse  for  their  rebellion  against 
God's  express  injunction, — "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of 
me."  They  betake  themselves  for  the  refuge  of  an  excuse, 
to  their  own  guilty  and  sinful  condition.  They  actually 
seek,  and  even  plead  exemption  in  the  face  of  their  Maker, 


OBLIGATIONS    TO    ENGAGE    IN    IT.  426 

from  reasonable  services  expressly  enjoined  by  him.  They 
do  this,  by  alleging  that  which  is,  in  reality,  their  guilty 
state, — even  their  criminal  want  of  a  will,  and  their  crimi- 
nal want  of  capacity  for  the  duty.  They  want  the  power. 
It  was  by  their  wilful  apostacy  that  they  cast  away  that 
power,  to  obey  God.  They  want  the  ivill.  That  want  is 
the  result  of  their  heaven-daring  act  of  persisting  in  rebel- 
lion. This  result  of  their  criminal  condition,  they  set  down 
in  their  own  minds,  as  an  excuse,  in  full,  for  their  addition- 
al act  of  rebellion,  in  refusing  to  comply  with  this  plainly 
enjoined  duty.  Their  excuse,  stript  of  all  disguise,  is  simply 
this  : — We  do  not  obey  God,  and  keep  up  the  remembrance 
of  Christ,  because  we  are  "  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than 
lovers  of  God  ;"  and  because  we  are  paralyzed  by  guilt,  and 
spiritual  death.  They  spare  no  pains  to  persuade  themselves 
that  the  fatal  effects  of  their  former  rebellion,  is  an  ample 
excuse  for  the  entire  neglect  of  obedience  to  God  in  time  to 
come  !  Ah  !  "  vain  man  would  be  wise  ;  though  he  is  born 
like  the  wild  ass's  colt !" 

May  the  abounding  grace  of  God  deliver  you,  dear  youth, 
from  the  snare  of  this  criminal  excuse.  The  truth  is  this : 
— if  men  did  really  feel  this  truly  deplorable  condition,  aris- 
ing from  the  want  of  will,  and  power,  and  all  due  qualifica- 
tion for  duty, — so  far  from  urging  it  as  an  excuse,  they 
would  humble  themselves,  and  mourn,  and  lament  most  bit- 
terly over  it.  Yes,  dear  youth  ;  if  your  heart  felt  the  alarm- 
ing  condition, — so  far  from  seeking  an  excuse  by  it, — you 
would  instantly  betake  yourself  to  the  Lord  ;  and  cry  mightily 
unto  him,  until  you  found  yourself,  at  Chrisfs  merciful  bid- 
ding, stretching  out  the  withered  hand  of  faith  :  and  until, 
impotent  as  you  now  are,  you  did,  at  his  bidding,  and  the 
all-subduing  power  of  his  grace,  arise,  and  take  up  your 
bed,  and  walk. 

Now,  dear  youth,  let  me  come  to  the  point  with  you. 
You  perceive  the  clear  and  impressive  command   of  your 


426  THE  lord's  supper. 

God, — "  Do  this  ill  remembrance  of  me  !"  You  feel  your 
guilt,  and  your  utter  incapacity.  Go,  then,  to  Christ.  If 
you  are  sincere  in  the  profession  of  your  want  of  due  pre- 
paration, you  will  go  to  Christ.  You  will  cry  out,  "  Jesus, 
son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me."  You  know  that  in  Christ 
a  fulness  of  grace  awaits  you.  Implore  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
bring  you  to  him  : — a  willing  captive,  in  lowliness  of  spirit, 
lying  at  his  feet.  JVeglect  no  appointed  means  to  bring 
you  in  penitence,  and  faith  to  him.  If  you  do  not  come 
to  Christ,  you  are  utterly  inexcusable.  And  you  must  per- 
ish as  all  rebels  perish.  And,  oh !  pause,  and  reflect  on 
these  excuses,  so  common  in  the  lips  of  unthoughtful  men. 
"When  thou  comest,  0  sinner,  to  the  bar  of  God's  eternal 
judgment,  thou  wilt  find, — when  it  will  be  too  late  to  re- 
trace thy  steps,  that  thy  guilt,  and  its  necessary  conse- 
quences, namely,  a  want  of  capacity,  and  a  want  of  a  ivill 
to  come  to  Christ,  can  be  no  excuse,  and  no  ground  of  plea 
for  exemption  from  positive  duty.  But,  we  must  come  to 
particular  classes  of  character. 

"  Come,  humble  sinner,  in  whose  breast, 

A  thousand  thoughts  revolve  : 
Come,  with  your  guilt,  and  fear  oppress'd, 

And  make  this  last  resolve, 
'  Prostrate  I'll  lie  before  his  throne, 

And,  there  my  guilt  confess : 
I'll  tell  him,  I'm  a  wretch  undone, 

Without  his  sovereign  grace' 
Peihaps  he  will  admit  my  plea, 

Perhaps  will  hear  my  prayer; 
But — if  I  perish — I  will  pray — 

And  perish  only  there  ! 
I  can  but  perish  if  I  go. — 

I  am  resolved  to  try  : 
For,  if  I  stay  away,  I  know, 

I  must  for  ever  die  !'  " 


CHAPTER  11. 


TO  THOSE  WHO  HAVE  ALREADY  BEEN  RECEIVED  AS  MEM- 
BERS, INTO  THE  CHURCH,  BUT  HAVE  DECLINED  FROM 
THEIR    DUTY. 

"  Remember  from  whence  thou  art  fallen  ;  and  repent ;  and  do  the 
first  works;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly  !" 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  I  URGE  the  very  solemn  invitation  of  Christ  upon 
your  consciences,  who  have  already  been  admitted  on  the 
confession  of  your  faith,  into  the  communion  of  Christ's 
church ;  but  who  have  been  declining  from  the  path  of  duty ; 
and  have  most  wofully  neglected,  and  despised  the  Table  of 
the  Lord. 

2.  Has  this  mournful  and  criminal  negligence  arisen 
from  any  doubt,  on  your  part,  of  the  solemn  obligations  of 
this  duty  ] — Are  you  a  Christian  ?  Have  you  cast  off  fear 
and  restrained  prayer,  before  the  Lord  ?  Have  you  aban- 
doned your  honourable  badge  of  religious  profession  ?  Ah ! 
my  fellow  professor, — have  you  betrayed  your  Lord  and 
Master  1  Have  you  sold  him  into  the  hands  of  wicked 
companions  1  Have  you,  like  Ahab,  sold  yourself  to  do 
evin 

3.  I  am  persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  ac- 


428  INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS. 

company  salvation,  although  I  thus  speak.  Come,  let  us  open 
the  Bible  ;  let  us  read  our  beloved  Saviour's  injunction. 
"  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."  Can  you  doubt  his 
love,  my  dear  one  ?  Can  you  really  find  it  in  your  heart  to 
question  his  right,  and  authority  to  lay  this  command  on 
you  ?  Hast  thou  forgotten  who  he  is,  and  what  he  has  done 
for  thee,  poor  wanderer  ?  Oh  !  canst  thou  ever  forget  him 
who  stooped  so  low,  as  to  notice  thee,  to  pity  thee,  to  ran- 
som such  as  thee  and  me,  by  his  own  life  ?  Oh  !  have  thy 
former  solemn  vows,  then,  been  all  forgotten  1  Ah !  thou 
mayst  forget  them  ;  but,  God  has  not  forgotten.  They  are 
registered  in  heaven,  for  thee,  0  thou  returning  prodigal : 
or  they  are  recorded  against  thee,  to  be  rehearsed  on  the 
day  of  thy  doom,  as  a  final  apostate ! 

4.  Return  to  thy  duty.  0  return  in  faith,  having  awaken- 
ed from  thy  long  and  painful  sleep.  Return  with  weeping, 
and  supplication,  and  prayer.  Return  before  the  door  of 
hope  be  closed  for  ever  upon  thee.  Return  before  the  ad- 
versary rivet  the  chains  of  death  around  thy  miserable  soul. 
Oh  !  canst  thou — canst  thou  thus  crucify  the  Son  of  God 
afresh  ]  Canst  thou  wound  him  in  the  house  of  his  friends  1 
Canst  thou  bear  this  bitter  reproach  of  our  Saviour, — "Yea, 
mine  own  familiar  friend,  in  whom  I  trusted,  and  who  did  eat 
of  my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against  me  !"  Ps. 
xli.  9. 

6.  Is  your  absence  from  the  table  of  the  Lord  caused 
by  any  doubt  on  your  part,  as  to  the  duty  of  the  frequency 
of  communion  ?  I  trust  you  cannot  allow  this  to  interfere 
with  your  duty.  Our  beloved  Master  has  required  us  to  do 
it  often.  But,  he  has  left  it  to  the  loyalty  of  our  hearts  ; 
and  the  unwavering  ardour  of  our  affections,  to  determine 
how  often  it  shall  be  done. 

And,  oh !  my  dear  one,  are  you  not  often  guilty  of  sin 
against  him,  and  of  negligence  in  duty  ]  And  need  you 
not,  then,  to  come  frequently  to  the  table  of  his   refresh- 


INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS.  429 

merits,  to  obtain  renewed  strength,   and   fresh  animation, 
and  new  supplies  of  grace  to  overcome  all  sin  ? 

How  often  are  we  surprised,  and  nearly  overwhelmed  by 
the  tempter's  snares,  and  the  world's  complicated  trials  ? 
And  need  we  not  to  come,  very  often,  to  meet  our  beloved 
Lord,  in  communion,  to  be  blessed  by  him,  and  cheered, 
and  confirmed  in  our  vows  of  fidelity  to  him,  and  greatly 
strengthened,  by  the  refreshing  influences  of  his  presence, 
to  resist  manfully  every  temptation,  and  every  enemy  ? 
Hence,  none  but  the  cold,  and  formal,  and  worldly  soul  can 
complain  of  this  blissful,  and  animating  communion  sea- 
son returning  too  often  upon  his  worldly  spirit,  and  pur- 
suits. 

6.  Is  your  absence  from  the  Lord's  Supper  caused,  I 
pray  you,  by  indolence ;  and  aversion  to  the  labour,  and 
searching  duty  of  self-examination,  and  all  the  necessary 
preparations  for  that  solemn  ordinance  ? — Ah !  my  friend, 
keep  a  strict  account  with  your  soul.  Fear  not  to  know 
the  worst  about  yourself.  Yield  not  to  this  spiritual  sloth. 
Probe  the  diseased  conscience  thoroughly.  Look  into  the 
future  ;  and  tremble,  as  well  you  may.  Your  tenure  of 
life  is  frail  and  uncertain.  In  a  brief  space  of  time  you 
will  be  brought  to  the  bar  of  your  Creator,  and  Judge. 
Oh  !  what  a  deep,  and  close,  and  hee.rt -searching  trial  awaits 
you  there.     "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God." 

7.  Is  your  absence  from  the  Lord's  table  caused  by  luke- 
warmness,  and  aversion  to  the  strictness  of  the  religious 
duties  of  the  christian  life  ?  Is  it  caused  by  a  growing 
aversion,  on  your  part,  to  take  on  you  the  solemn  vows 
afresh ;  and  to  keep  up  that  strict  and  watchful  conduct  in 
all  your  intercourse  with  the  world  ?  Ah  !  the  world  is  se- 
ducing you.  Pause  ;  reflect ;  raise  your  thoughts  to  Christ. 
Shun,  I  beseech  you,  the  sin,  and  doom  of  Demas.  Turn 
not  aside  to  the  world.  Sell  not  your  soul  and  body, — your 
immortal  being  to  the  world,  and  Satan.    Listen — 0  listen  to 

37 


430  INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS, 

him  who  knows  the  valae  of  your  immortal  soul.  "  What 
is  a  man  profited,  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world  ;  and 
lose  his  own  soul.  Or,  what  can  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul?"  If  you  are  ashamed  of  Christ,  of  you  will 
He  be  ashamed  in  the  great  day.  If  you  turn  from  Christ, 
he  will  turn  his  back  on  you.  If  you  apostatise,  and  deny 
him,  he  will  deny  you,  and  cast  you  off  for  ever  ! 

8.  Is  your  absence  from  the  Holy  Supper  caused  by 
some  family  disturbance  ;  or  by  some  quarrel  with  some 
brother,  or  sister  in  the  Church  ? — Are  you  a  Christian  ? 
Have  you  the  spirit  of  the  loving  and  forgiving  Jesus  in 
you  ?  Can  you  allow  yourself  to  sacrifice  your  vows,  and 
your  duty  to  sustain  an  unchristian  grudge  against  a  bro- 
ther, or  a  sister  1  Do  you  not  fear  God  1  Do  you  not 
stand  in  awe  of  your  Judge  1  Will  you  indulge  malice,  at 
the  expense  of  wronging  your  own  soul  ?  Will  you  suffer 
the  pride  and  malice,  with  which  Satan  fills  your  heart,  to 
drive  you  from  your  Saviour's  presence,  and  the  table  of 
his  love?  In  the  name  of  the  bleeding  and  dying  Saviour, 
who  hung  in  streaming  blood,  and  agonies  of  soul  on  the 
accursed  tree  for  us,  can  you, — Oh  !  can  you  permit  that 
spirit  which  Satan  inspires  into  the  wicked,  to  drive  the 
love  of  that  dear,  and  Holy  One  from  your  bosom  ?  Oh  ! 
think  of  this  seriously,  and  consider  your  ways.  Has  He 
forgiven  you  ten  thousand  talents,  and,  Oh !  my  poor  erring 
friend,  can  you, — Oh  !  can  you  not  forgive  a  brother,  a 
hundred  pence  ?  Let  the  power  of  Christ's  constraining 
love  cast  out  this  devil  from  you.  Hear  the  beloved  Mas- 
ter's words  :  and  do  this  instant,  obey  them.  Art  thou  the 
offender  by  a  deed,  or  a  hasty  word?  Then  hear  the  Di- 
vine Master's  words.  ''If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar, 
and  there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  has  aught  against 
thee  ;  leave,  there,  thy  gift  before  the  altar."  Do  not  ab- 
sent thyself  from  the  holy  communion.  Leave,  there,  thy 
gift  as  the  manifest  pledge  of  thy  seasonable  return.     "  Go 


INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS.  431 

thy  way,  first,  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother ;  and  then  offer 
thy  gift."  Does  thy  spirit  within  thee  refuse  to  do  this  ? 
Well,  then,  mayest  thou  fear,  and  tremble  for  the  conse- 
quence, that  thou  art  a  child  of  malice,  and  of  unforgiving 
resentment. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  thou  have  ought  against  thy  bro- 
ther, forgive  him  frankly  ;  that  thy  Heavenly  Father  may 
forgive  thee. — Does  this  seem  to  thee  impossible  ?  No, 
my  dear  young  Christian  ;  it  is  not  impossible.  Only  pour 
out  thy  soul  in  ardent  prayer,  for  thy  offending  brother. 
Continue  in  prayer  for  his  penitence,  and  salvation.  Per- 
severe in  this,  long,  and  ardently,  until  thou  feel  in  thy 
heart  what  is  befitting,  and  right  toward  thy  brother ;  and 
thou  canst  say  to  thy  Father,  and  his  Father  in  heaven, — 
"  Forgive  me,  O  my  God,  my  trespasses  against  thee,  as 
I  do  forgive  him  who  has  trespassed  against  me."  Prayer 
melts  the  icy  heart,  and  causes  the  warm  affections  to  flow 
toward  an  erring,  and  offending  brother. 

9.  Thy  long  absence  from  the  Lord's  Table  has  perhaps 
arisen  from  the  resistance  of  thy  guilty  conscience.  Thou 
hast  cast  off  fear,  and  restrained  prayer.  Thou  hast,  per- 
haps, blasphemed  God  in  thy  heart;  and  betrayed  thy 
Master  in  the  presence  of  his  enemies.  Peradventure 
some  guilty  transactions  in  business  have  continued  to 
trouble  your  soul :  some  fraud ;  some  wrong  done  to  thy 
neighbour  ;  some  horrid  secret  sins  cherished  by  thee,  have 
thrown  thy  soul  into  distraction,  and  covered  thee  with  con- 
fusion, and  shame  before  the  Lord.  For,  although  man 
cannot  see  into  thy  heart,  nor  penetrate  the  secrecies  of  thy 
chamber,  the  ever-watchful  and  pure  eye  of  thy  Judge  has 
been  on  thee :  and  thy  conscience  bitterly  responds  to  the 
chidings  of  God's  most  holy  law. — Repent,  instantly,  of 
thy  sin.  Break  up  every  evil  habit  of  soul  and  body,  this 
very  hour.  Prostrate  thy  soul  in  deep  penitence  before  the 
throne  of  mercy.     Let  the  smitten  rock  of  thy  heart  send 


432  INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS. 

forth  the  waters  of  sorrow  for  all  thy  crimes.  Let  the  refor- 
mation of  thy  heart,  and  life  prove  the  sincerity  of  thy  faith 
and  repentance.  For  this  purpose  betake  thyself  now,  this 
very  instant,  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling.  There  thou  canst 
have  effectual  cleansing  from  all  thy  pollution  ;  that  thou 
mayest,  thence,  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  Hi- 
ther the  chief  of  sinners  have  come.  Hither  thou  mayest 
yet  come,  to  have  peace  to  thy  agitated  heart.  Here  the 
distracted  conscience  has  found  its  bitter  remorse  and  over- 
powering sorrows  taken  away  by  the  removal  of  the  load  of 
its  guilt  and  uncleanness.  «  Christ's  blood  cleanseth  from 
all  sin." 

But,  be  it  known  to  thee,  that  if  thou  remainest  in  thy 
secret  indulgences,  and  guilt,  with  a  fair  exterior,  while 
thou  absentest  thyself  from  the  table  of  the  Lord,  thy  sins 
will  find  thee  out.  A  fearful  fall  and  exposure  are  before 
thee ;  and  public  scorn ;  and,  what  is  more  dreadful  than  all, 
the  wrath  of  an  angry  and  betrayed  Lord  is  gathering  as  a 
fearful  cloud  of  vengeance  over  thy  head. — Return,  thou 
self-destroyer — Oh  return  from  all  those  ways,  which  have 
ruined  thy  peace  of  mind  ;  and  driven  thee  from  thy  duty. 
Oh  !  Return  ;  why  wilt  thou  die  ;  and  plunge  thyself  into 
the  bitter  pains  of  the  second  death  1 

"  Return,  O  \\  anderer,  return  ; 

And  seek  an  injured  Father's  face: 

Those  warm  desires  that  in  thee  burn, 

Were  kindled  by  reclaiming  grace. 

"  Return,  O  wanderer,  return ; 

Thy  Saviour  bids  thy  spirit  live  : 
Go  to  his  bleeding  feet,  and  learn. 
How  freely  Jesus  can  forgive." 

10.  But,  perhaps,  thy  "spot  is  not  the  spot  of  God's  child- 
ren."    Thine  absence  from  the  holy  communion  is  proba- 


INVITATION    TO    CHURCH    MEMBERS.  433 

bly  caused  by  the  final  apostacy  from  thy  profession, — for 
divine  grace  the  final  apostate  never  had  enjoyed.  Thou 
hast  listened  to  the  seducing  persuasions  of  those  who  have 
not  the  fear  of  God  ;  or  to  the  sneer  of  the  scorner,  pouring 
contempt  on  thy  profession,  and  God's  holy  ordinances. 
Thou  hast  been  drawn  away  by  the  love  of  their  sinful 
amusements,  and  thence  into  their  guilty  and  abomin- 
able deeds.  The  world  has  welcomed  thee  back,  as  one 
of  its  own.  Like  the  hypocrite,  "thou  hast  not  always 
called  upon  God."  Thy  treacherous  heart  has  betrayed 
Christ.  Thou  hast  sold  him  to  his  enemies  for  the  beggar- 
ly pittance  of  the  world's  applause,  and  pleasures.  Thou  art 
secretly  immersed  in  its  pollutions.  And,  thence,  thou 
fliest  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  thy  brethren. 
Oh  !  miserable  man  !  Thou  art  wronging  thy  own  soul. 
Ah !  How  how  canst  thou  escape  ?  Brief  is.  thy  career  of 
guilt  and  apostacy.  The  terrors  of  thy  injured  Lord  will 
soon  fall  on  thy  awakened,  and  guilty  soul.  Thy  conscience 
now  slumbers.  Thou  mayst  call  this  peace.  But  there  is 
no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked.  Thy  conscience, 
"  set  on  fire  of  hell,"  will  soon  consume  all  thy  peace  and 
comforts.  And,  Oh  !  whither  canst  thou  flee  ?  Shouldst 
thou  ascend  into  heaven ;  God  will  cast  thee  down. 
Shouldst  thou  hide  in  the  deepest  abyss  ;  the  terrors  of  di- 
vine justice  will  consume  thee.  Oh  !  Did  Ahab  rebel,  and 
prosper  ?  Annanias  and  Sapphira  did  apostatise  as  thou 
hast  done  :  did  they  prosper  and  live  ?  Judas  who,  like 
thee,  eat  bread  with  our  divine  Master,  did  lift  up  his  heel 
of  rebellion,  like  thee,  against  him.  Did  he  prosper  and  live 
to  enjoy  the  paltry  bribe — the  horrid  price  of  blood  ?  Their 
doom  is  thy  doom.  And  it  lingers  not.  "  Behold,  the 
Judge  standeth  even  before  thy  door."  And  that  sentence 
pronounced  on  Judas  may  well  make  the  ears  of  all  rebels 
to  tingle.  It  will  soon  fall  in  thunder  on  thy  ears.  "  Good 
had  it  been  for  thee,  hadst  thou  never  been  born  !" 

37* 


CHAPTER  in. 


invitation  to  those   who    have    not    been    to    the 
lord's  table. 

"  If  human  kindness  meets  return, 

And  owns  the  grateful  tie  ; 
If  tender  thoughts  within  us  burn, 

To  feel  a  friend  is  nigh. 
Oh !  shall  not  warmer  accents  tell 

The  gratitude  we  owe 
To  him,  who  died  our  fears  to  quell ; 

Our  more  than  orphans'  woe  ! 
While  yet  his  anguished  soul  surveyed 

Those  pangs  he  could  not  flee  ; 
What  love  his  latest  words  displayed, — 

'Meet,  and  remember  me!' 
Remember  thee  !  thy  death,  thy  shame, 

Our  sinful  hearts  to  share ! 
O  memory!  let  no  other  name 

But  His,  recorded  there!" 

1 .  We  address  ourselves  to  you  the  dear  children  of  the 
Church,  who  have  been  baptized ;  and  have  been  trained 
up  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  taught  to  respect  and  feel  the 
weighty  obligation  of  your  baptismal  vows.  We  also  ad- 
dress  the  stranger,  who,  like  them,  possesses  proper  christian 
knowledge  in  all  those  points,  which  we  have  laid  down  be- 


INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS.  435 

fore  you,  and  who  have  some  good  disposition  in  you,  and 
feelings  of  love,  and  gratitude  to  the  Lord,  your  Saviour. 

2.  Come  to  this  feast,  my  beloved  children,  for  all 
things  are  ready.  You  have  seen  the  nature,  the  design, 
and  object  of  this  holy  communion.  Come,  then,  and  put 
you  hand  to  the  covenant.  The  holy  and  compassionate 
One  has  long'  been  calling  upon  you  in  his  word.  Come, 
leave  the  world's  dangerous  snares ;  come  out  of  it,  and 
take  your  position  with  your  Lord,  and  his  people.  Here 
is  given  the  most  affecting  display  of  the  love  of  God. 
Yield  yourself  up  to  its  constraining  power.  Oh !  hard  is 
the  heart  which  loves  not  him  who  first  loved  us.  There 
thy  beloved  Redeemer  passes  before  thee  in  garments  dyed 
in  blood.  He  trode  the  wine-press  alone.  He  comes  be- 
fore thee,  and  shows  himself  mighty  to  save,  and  rich  in  all 
his  gifts  of  love.  Yield  him  the  undivided  homage  of  thy 
soul ;  and  the  obedience  of  thy  life.  Here,  divine  justice, 
and  truth  shine  forth  in  the  overwhelming  lustre  of  their 
glory.  Let  thy  soul  be  filled  with  the  deepest  abhorrence 
of  sin,  which,  under  these  holy  attributes,  brought  our  Sa- 
viour to  the  cross,  and  to  the  dust  of  death.  Here  are  set 
before  thee  the  monumental  exhibition  of  thy  Saviour's 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  into  glory ;  here,  his 
righteousness,  confirmed  by  all  these  tokens,  is  offered  to 
thee.  Come,  present  thyself  before  the  Lord,  and  the 
Church ;  and  from  thy  heart,  say, — "=  0  my  blessed  Lord  !  I 
gratefully  and  joyfully  accept  thee  for  my  righteousness,  and 
strength.  To  my  soul  thou,  0  Lord,  art  my  all  in  all." 
And  as  he  makes  himself  over  to  thee  in  the  new  covenant, 
he  says, — "My  child,  give  me  thy  heart,  with  the  homage, 
and  obedience  of  thy  life."  Yield  yourself  a  willing  dis- 
ciple unto  him.  And  in  true  communion,  say, — "  0  my  gra- 
cious Redeemer !  to  thee  I  yield  up  my  heart,  and  life. 
Adopt  me  into  thy  family.  Give  me  a  name  among  the 
living  in  Jerusalem.     I  consecrate  myself  to  thee,  0  Lord  ; 


436  INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS. 

to  be  thine — thiiie  only, — thine  wholly, — and  thine  ever- 
more !  Seal  thy  love,  O  Lord  !  upon  my  soul :  write  thy 
pure  name,  in  living  characters  on  my  heart ;  on  my  hands 
and  forehead  ;  as  I  do  here,  in  this  holy  communion  of  the 
Supper,  seal  my  vow  of  allegiance,  love,  and  obedience  to 
thee  in  all  things.  Can  I  do  less?  Oh  !  what  should  I  not 
do  willingly  in  obedience  to  thee,  my  Saviour!  I  am  thy 
creature  :  I  live  in  thee  ;  I  am  bought  with  thy  precious 
blood  ;  I  am  thine  by  thy  redeeming  grace.  Moved  by  gra- 
titude, and  constrained  by  thy  love,  I  come  to  confirm  my 
personal  covenant  with  filial  love,  and  humility  before  thee. 
Now,  0  Lord,  I  am  thine.  And,  oh  !  most  dear  and  bless- 
ed Saviour,  thou  permittest  me  to  say, — Thou  art  mine.  I 
shall  seal  the  vow  over  the  sacred  symbols  of  the  Holy  Sup- 
per. As  I  take  these  seals  of  thy  love,  pledged  therein  to 
me  ;  even  so  do  I  accept  thee,  humbly,  my  dear  Redeemer, 
in  the  plenitude  of  the  grace  of  the  covenant,  for  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption.  Set,  then, 
thy  seal  on  me.  Let  my  *  ear  be  bored  to  the  door-post, 
that  I  may  be  thy  servant  forever.'  And,  oh  !  grant  me  the 
white  stone,  and  the  new  name  ;  that  I  may  know,  and 
have  the  assurance  that  I  am  thy  child,  justified,  and  adopt- 
ed into  thy  spiritual  family  ;  and,  thence,  have  my  record  on 
high,  among  the  living  who  are  registered  in  the  New  Jeru- 
salem.    Amen." 

3.  I  have  thus  set  before  thee,  the  form  of  the  devotional 
vow  required  of  thee.  Now,  my  dear  Christian  friend,  can 
any  service  be  more  delightful  ?  He  does,  indeed,  call  on 
you  to  make  a  sacrifice ;  and  that  sacrifice  would,  to  the 
men  of  the  world,  be  an  unreasonable  sacrifice.  But,  it  is  no- 
thing more,  nor  less,  than  the  prompt  renunciation  of  all  that 
only  which  dishonours  his  holy  name  ;  and  will  bring  ruin 
and  misery  on  your  own  souls.  Is  this  an  unreasonable 
service  at  your  hands  ?  Besides,  he  calls  on  you  to  accept 
from  him  every  blessing,  included  in  his  love  and  commu- 


INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS.  437 

nion.  Would  you  not  cordially  welcome  the  family  banquet, 
and  the  sweet  communion  of  kindred  spirits  in  your  family 
circle,  with  beloved  parents,  and  brothers,  and  sisters  1 
But,  what  is  that  to  the  pure  and  holy  joys  of  the  spiritual 
banquet  ?  Here,  at  the  holy  table,  we  meet  in  our  Heaven- 
ly Father's  gracious  presence.  We  commune  with  our 
Blessed  Saviour  in  the  purest  spiritual  joys.  We  com- 
mune with  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  reviving  influences  give 
fresh  life  to  our  languid  spirits  ;  and  new  vigour  and  anima- 
tion^into  every  grace  ;  while  he,  as  the  Comforter,  sends  us 
forward  in  the  christian  course  with  "  everlasting  joys 
upon  our  heads."  How  great  the  happiness  to  be  in  such 
a  presence,  at  such  a  banquet !  How  pleasant  the  joy  of 
meeting  fathers,  mothers,  brothers,  sisters  at  the  banquet  of 
Christ's  table  !  What  a  delicious  foretaste  this  affords  us 
of  the  coming  joys  of  heaven  ;  when  the  whole  family  of 
God  shall  all  be  at  home  ! 

Come,  then,  my  dear  youth,  come  away  from  the  world's 
polluted  joys  !  Come  away  from  its  vexatious  cares  ;  its 
degrading  follies  ;  its  guilty  pursuits.  "  Let  the  dead  bury 
their  dead."  Come  to  Christ.  Leave  the  communion  of  a 
vain  and  deceitful  world, — so  full  of  promises  which  it  never 
fulfils.  Come  to  the  fellowship  of  saints  ;  and  the  light  of 
God's  countenance,  which  beams  brighter,  and  brighter  upon 
us,  until  we  are  ushered  into  heaven's  complete  and  eternal 
day  ! 

4.  You  must  beware  of  associating  witli  the  joyful  table 
of  the  Lord,  the  idea  of  any  thing  terrific,  or,  what  is  calcu- 
lated to  excite  horror.  It  is  true  you  are  drawing  near  to 
the  Lord.  "  The  bush  burns  with  flames."  But  it  is  not 
the  consuming  flames  of  Horeb,  whence  the  law  was  given. 
The  Lord  speaks  out  of  the  midst  of  this  awful  symbol  of 
his  presence  ;  but  he  speaks  not  in  the  terrific  thunders  of 
Sinai.  He  speaks  peace.  He  is  come  down  to  deliver 
you  from  Egypt's  bondage.     You  must  bow  down  in  solemn 


438  INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS. 

awe,  and  "put  offyour  shoes  from  off  your  feet,  for  the  ground 
you  stand  on  is  holy."  But,  it  is  your  Heavenly  Father  who 
speaks,  and  calls  you  to  hear,  and  own,  and  take  comfort 
from  his  well-beloved  Son. 

He  makes  an  appeal  to  your  grateful  affection  ;  not  to 
your  fears.  «'  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."  This  duty 
is  never  to  be  viewed  as  a  task.  You  must  be  prompted  to 
duty  by  the  ardour  of  love.  "  For  we  love  him  who  first 
loved  us."  "  Perfect  love  casteth  out  all  fear,"  that  is, 
slavish  fear.  In  proportion  as  love  is  perfected,  it  casts  out 
the  fear  of  the  guilty  conscience  ;  and  gradually  becomes 
truly  filial,  and  is  assimilated  to  the  fear  of  holy  angles. 

5.  Let  not,  then,  that  expression  terrify  you, — "  He  that 
eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eats  and  drinks  damnation 
to  himself."  It  can  be  a  fearful  doom  to  the  guilty  and  fin- 
ally impenitent  only.  To  God's  children,  it  declares  a 
salutary  correction,  though  severe.  The  unworthy  partaker 
will  draw  down  fatherly  corrections  ;  but  not  the  doom  of 
the  impenitent.  And  these  visitations  we  must  welcome 
as  God's  selected  means  of  our  sanctification,  to  prepare 
us  for  a  holier  and  purer  communion  on  earth,  and  in  hea- 
ven ! 

6 .  Resist,  then,  the  spirit  of  the  world  which  attaches  the  idea 
of  gloom,  and  melancholy,  and  terror  to  the  holiest  services 
of  religion.  Let  your  companions  know  that  it  is  the  only 
thing  on  earth,  which  throws  the  sweetest  and  most  deli- 
cious joys  around  the  heart  that  reclines  on  Jesus'  bosom. 
Assure  them  that  it  makes  you  blessed  in  every  condition. 
In  the  deepest  gloom  of  sorrow,  and  heart-rending  priva- 
tions,  it  cheers  you  with  bright  hopes,  and  inextinguish- 
able joys,  which  descend  from  the  throne  of  the  interceding 
Redeemer.  You  can  by  faith,  assure  the  world  that  the 
Christian  can,  after  all,  afford  to  lose  even  all  that  man  can 
promise,  or  earth  can  give.  Ashes,  and  dust  cannot  satiate 
the  boundless  wishes  of  immortal  souls.  Can  mortals  marry 


INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS.  439 

immortality  to  death  ?  Can  ocean's  immeasurable  abyss  be 
filled  with  a  dew-drop  ?  No,  never.  The  Christian's 
home,  and  heaven  lie  beyond  this  world,  and  its  perishing 
fulness.  Hence,  no  earthly  fears,  no  dread  of  earthly  losses, 
can  drive  him  from  his  dependence  on  God,  and  the  path  of 
his  duty.  On  the  contrary,  the  love  of  Christ  constrains 
him,  and  binds  him  to  the  cheerful  and  affectionate  discharge 
of  his  duty.  And  the  very  discharge  of  his  services,  and 
especially  his  diligent  observance  of  this  solemn  ordinance, 
does  beget  in  him  new  strength,  and  fresh  animation  for 
every  returning  season  of  duty,  and  of  trial. 

7.  Hence,  dear  Christian,  you  must  not  hesitate.  You 
must  not  waver  between  two  opinions.  Come  forward,  in 
an  honest  and  pure  confession.  Be  ready  and  willing  in 
your  avowed  subjection  to  your  dear  Redeemer.  You  were 
devoted  to  the  Triune  God  in  your  early  days.  Beware  of 
bringing  shame,  and  ruin  on  yourselves  by  looking  back 
with  longing  eyes  to  the  world,  as  Lot's  wife  did,  to  the 
cities  of  the  plain.  Keep  your  eyes  on  Jesus.  Did  he  not 
hasten  from  his  throne  for  your  deliverance  1  Did  he 
hesitate  in  one  instance,  or  waver,  in  working  out  our  re- 
demption ?  Was  he  not  carried  through  the  agonies  of  his 
soul,  by  his  unquenchable  love  to  us  ?  Did  he  not  set  his 
face  as  a  flint,  with  immoveable  courage,  animated  by 
love  to  us,  through  the  whole  of  his  inconceivable  pains,  un- 
til he  said, — "  It  is  finished  !"  And,  Oh  !  my  dear  chris- 
tian brother  and  sister,  will  you, — Oh  ! — can  you  refuse  to 
honour  him,  by  your  most  affectionate  gratitude,  and  your 
prompt,  and  unwavering  obedience?  Wait  not  until  you 
may  obtain  what  the  carnal  mind  longs  after, — a  settlement 
in  life,  with  worldly  ease,  and  comfort.  Begin  the  world, 
my  dear  christian  brother  and  sister,  by  beginning  with 
obedience  to  your  God.  Set  out  in  the  world,  by  plac- 
ing yourself  on  the  side  of  Christ.  Set  out  in  your  life's 
journey,  with  the  pilgrims   bound  for  Zion  above.     Oh ! 


440  INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS. 

seek  first  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  its  righteousness. 
Secure  the  soul's  portion,  before  thy  earthly  portion,  in  this 
world.  Cease,  then,  my  dear  one — beloved  in  the  Lord, — 
to  prefer  selfish  ends  and  aims,  to  the  honour  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Cease  to  gratify  your  own  desires  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  solemn  and  imperative  duty.  Come  forward, 
and  own  thy  Saviour.  Can  you  allow  yourself  to  prefer 
these  small  concerns  of  earth  to  one  who  ought  to  occupy 
the  first  place,  always,  in  thy  heart.  Must  salvation,  and 
heaven  be  postponed  for  the  things  on  earth  ?  Will  you  obey 
the  promptings  of  Satan,  in  preference  to  the  command, 
and  the  constraining  love  of  Jesus  Christ  t 

8.  You  have,  already,  lost  much  precious  time  by  delay- 
ing to  yield  obedience  in  this  solemn  duty.  In  no  other 
matter  has  a  delay  been  more  dangerous.  For  a  delay  in 
duty  is  an  act  of  positive  rebellion  against  the  Lord.  Every 
command  of  God,  be  it  carefully  remembered,  carries  on 
the  face  of  it,  not  only  the  necessity  of  obedience,  but  of 
instant  obedience.  And  the  same  penalty  does  equally  en- 
force the  one,  as  it  does  the  other.  If  thy  Maker  allowed 
thee  the  right,  or  permission  to  delay  obedience  :  it  would 
imply  a  license  of  delay  in  sin.  It  would  be  holding  out  im- 
punity to  deliberate  rebellion.  Every  divine  command, 
therefore,  is  a  divine  call  to  instant  compliance,  under  the 
usual  divine  penalty,  which  guards  the  law. 

And  there  is  a  punishment  attending  each  day's  delay. 
Each  mournful  delay  brings  a  positive  hardening  of  the 
heart,  and  a  growing  insensibility  of  conscience.  Hence, 
the  longer  you  delay,  the  more  hardened  you  become ;  and 
thence,  the  more  insensible  are  you  to  the  urgency  of  the 
divine  call.  You  cannot  help  noticing  this  very  alarming 
fact,  exhibited  in  those  aged  persons  in  the  church,  who 
have,  for  many  years,  persisted  in  this  rebellion.  Can  you 
behold,  without  trembling,  how  callous  their  consciences 
are  ;  and  how  utterly  indifferent  they  remain  under  God's 


INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS.  441 

judgments,  and  the  solemn  warnings  of  the  law,  and  all  the 
urgency  of  Christ's  pleadings,  by  his  servants  ! 

Rouse  up,  then,  to  instant  activity  in  duty.  The  longer 
you  delay,  the  greater  is  the  fearful  weight  of  guilt  impend- 
ing over  you.  The  longer  you  delay,  the  more  of  heaven's 
peace,  and  the  pleasures  of  holiness  do  you  lose.  Never 
allow  yourself  to  forget  that  you  have  no  control  over  time. 
Death  is  ready  to  enter  into  your  dwelling.  Then,  where 
are  you  1  If  you  are  unprepared  for  the  solemnities  of  the 
Lord's  Table ;  then,  most  certainly,  are  you  utterly  unpre- 
pared for  the  awful  solemnities  of  death,  and  the  judgment, 
and  the  eternal  world  !  May  God,  in  his  great  mercy, 
awaken  you  all  to  tender  solicitude  in  this  matter ! 

9.  And,  here,  let  me  remind  you  of  your  baptismal 
vows.  In  infancy  your  parents  presented  you  with  much 
anxiety,  and  many  prayers,  and  vows,  at  the  baptismal 
fount.  You  were,  by  them,  given  away  to  God,  and  to  his 
church,  as  members  thereof.  These  vows  were  taken  upon 
them,  as  your  natural  and  covenant  guardians.  Now,  that 
you  have  reached  the  years  of  discretion,  these  solemn  vows 
have  passed  over  from  them  to  you  ;  and  are  binding  on 
your  conscience.  There  is  no  room  for  doubts  in  this 
matter.  They  are  equally  binding  on  you,  as  they  were 
on  them.  You  must  follow  them  out,  under  the  call  of  your 
God.  Nothing  can  be  more  manifest  than  this  doctrine  of 
God's  holy  word.  That  which  is  done  in  our  name,  by  a 
legal,  and  accredited  representative,  is  as  certainly  done  by 
us  as  if  it  had  been  done  personally.  Open  thy  Bible  at 
Jerem.  xi.  3,  4,  and  read,  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that  obeyeth 
not  the  words  of  this  covenant,  which  I  commanded  your 
fathers,"  &c. 

Even  so,  my  dear  youth,  let  no  man  deceive  you.  Cursed 
will  you  be,  if  you  obey  not  the  vow  of  the  covenant  of 
baptism,  which  God  commanded  your  parents.  Men  of 
selfish  and  sceptical  habits  may  doubt,  and  demur.  Be  it  your 

38 


442  INVITATION    TO    NON-COMMUNICANTS. 

part,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  promptly  to  obey.  You  cannot 
renounce  the  honours  of  Christianity  ;  you  cannot  deny 
your  baptism  ;  you  cannot  deny  your  God ! 

10.  Come  out  of  the  world  then;  and,  approaching  the 
holy  table  of  the  Lord,  there  declare  openly  before  all,  that 
these  just  and  appropriate  vows  shall  be  piously  responded 
to  ;  and  religiously  paid  before  the  Lord,  by  his  grace  given 
to  you.  Take  your  places  by  the  side  of  your  father  and 
mother  ;  along  with  your  christian  brethren  ;  and  piously 
say  thus  :  "  I  am  bound  to  thee,  0  my  God,  by  all  these  ten- 
der and  impressive  ties  laid  on  me,  as  thy  creature  ;  as  thy 
redeemed  creature  ;  as  thy  child, — baptized,  and  devoted  with 
solemnity  to  thee,  0  holy  and  merciful  God !  Here,  I  hum- 
bly beg  to  offer  myself  to  thee,  0  my  God !  I  believe  in  thy 
Son,  my  dear  Redeemer.  I  accept  of  the  gratuitous  bless- 
ings of  the  new  covenant.  I  would  humbly,  and  cheer- 
fully come  under  all  these  obligations  of  new  obedience ;  to 
love  thee,  to  obey  thee ;  to  serve  thee  with  all  my  heart,  and 
soul,  and  mind,  and  strength ;  in  all  the  relations,  and  con- 
ditions of  life  ;  to  be  thine  wholly, — to  be  thine  alone, — to 
be  thine  now,  and  for  ever ! 

And,  now,  in  token  of  my  sincere  faith,  and  vows  before 
thee,  O  my  God  !  I  here,  in  humble  reliance  on  thy  grace, 
do  set  my  hand,  and  seal  to  this  public  covenant  with  thee, 
0  Lord!  And  I  would  humbly,  and  sincerely  avouch  thee  to 
be  my  God  ;  and  myself  to  be  thy  servant,  for  all  time. 
And,  in  token  of  this,  I  take  the  bread,  and  the  cup :  I  eat 
the  one,  and  I  drink  the  other,  in  memory  of  my  Saviour's 
atoning  blood,  and  rich  grace.  And,  I  hereby  seal  my 
vow  of  personal  dedication  to  thee.  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost.  So  help  thou  me,  0  Blessed  and  most 
merciful  Triune  God  !     Amen. 


CHAPTER  IV, 


INVITATION     TO      GOD*S    CHILDREN     WHO    WALK     IN     DARk- 
;^  NESS  ; SOLUTION    OF     MENTAL    DIFFICULTIES,     AND    OB- 
JECTIONS,  INSTRUCTION COMFORT. 

"  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye,  my  people,  saith  your  God." 

Isaiah. 

1.  There  are  many  who  "  fear  the  Lord,  and  obey  the 
voice  of  his  servant,"  and  who  yet — "  walk  in  darkness, 
and  have  no  light."  They  seek  the  Lord  with  much  sor- 
rowing. They  tremble  at  the  thought  of  rebelling  against 
their  Lord.  They  try  to  walk  in  the  way  of  his  appointment. 
But,  through  fear  of  unworthy  communicating,  and  the  ter- 
rors of  the  judgment  which  follows  it,  they  know  not  what  to 
do.  Permit  us,  with  tender  sympathy,  to  address  ourselves 
to  them. 

2.  My  dear  brothers,  and  sisters  : — Many  do  not  distin- 
guish between  the  act,  and  agency  of  faith ;  and  the  evi- 
dence of  sense,  as  it  is  usually  called.  They  believe  ;  they 
accept  the  proffered  mercy  in  Christ.  They  rely  on  him 
as  all  their  hope.  But,  then,  they  seem  to  expect,  as  one 
person  does,  while  conversing  with  another,  some  visible 
token,  and  assurance  from  the  person  they  commune  with  ; 
that  they  are  doing  right,  and  are  actually  accepted.  They 
are  not  content  with  merely  believing  God's  promise,  and 
complying  with  his  injunction.  They  seem  to  expect  some 
sensible  assurance  like  that  which  was  vouchsafed  to  the 


444  INVITATION    TO    GOD's    CHILDREN, 

holy  disciple  in  Patmos,  when  he  was  in  the  Spirit,  on  the 
Lord's  day  ;  or,  an  impression  made  on  the  mind,  and  heart 
that  they  are  in  the  right  way. 

3.  Now,  it  is  your  duty  simply  to  rely,  in  full  faith,  on 
God's  promise  ;  and  yield,  in  the  whole  man,  a  prompt  obe- 
dience in  that  faith,  to  his  injunction.  He  has  uttered  his 
assurance  that  he  will  bestow  on  you  certain  blessings. 
Do  your  duty  in  a  cordial  reliance  on  his  faithfulness,  and 
power.  Go  to  his  table,  as  he  enjoins  you  ;  there  seek  his 
face  ;  there  plead  with  him  ;  there  seek  the  higher  manifes- 
tations of  his  love  and  mercy;  there  seek  the  clear  light  of 
his  countenance,  and  the  divine  assurances  of  his  love  in  the 
way  of  duty,  and  in  the  actual  discharge  of  your  obligations. 
Seek  not,  first  of  all,  for  these  clear  and  gracious  tokens  of 
his  love,  in  order  that  you  may  enter  on  your  duty.  But, 
go  forward,  and  seek  them  in  communion  by  faith,  peni- 
tence, and  purity  of  heart.  And  do  all  this  in  an  humble 
reliance  on  the  Holy  Spirit. 

You  are  in  darkness,  and  want  assurance  ?  Conceive, 
then,  yourself  to  be  exactly  in  the  position  of  a  lost  child  ; 
who  has  wandered  from  his  home,  and  his  father.  In  the 
dark  and  cloudy  night,  you  cannot  see  your  way  clear ;  you 
cannot  see  your  father,  nor  your  home.  But,  on  the  still 
ear  of  night,  you  can  hear,  distinctly,  your  father's  voice, 
calling  you  to  come, — to  come  up  directly  to  him.  You 
cannot  see  him,  it  is  true  ;  but  are  you  then  to  stand 
still  ?  You  cannot  have  the  assurance  of  sight  that  he  is 
there ;  but  you  distinctly  hear  his  voice,  calling  on  you  to 
come  to  him.  Must  you  stand  still,  and  linger  until  you 
have  the  assurance  of  sense  ;  and  actually  see  him,  and  feel 
his  hand  ?  No,  no.  Well,  you  know  the  voice  of  your 
Heavenly  Father  uttered  distinctly  in  his  divine  word. 
He  calls  on  you  to  come  up  to  him.  He  tells  you  what 
is  in  the  way.  "  Turn  not,"  says  he,  "  to  the  right,  or 
the  left.     Avoid  all  bye- ways.     Come  directly  up  to  me, 


INVITATION    TO    GOd's    CHILDREN.  445 

as  you  hear  my  voice."  Like  the  lost  child,  persevere — 
and  walk  directly  up  to  him.  Keep  in  the  straight  line  of 
duty.  And  soon  will  you  joyfully  feel  him  taking  you  by 
the  hand,  and  lifting  you  gently  into  his  bosom ! 

4.  On  the  eve  of  duty,  we  hear  some  very  dear  Chris- 
tians offer  an  excuse  of  this  nature  ; — "  I  once  had  a  very 
pleasing  and  heavenly  frame  of  mind  ;  and  I  longed  to  come, 
and  appear  before  the  Lord.  But,  now,  it  is  gone;  and  I 
am  cast  down." 

You  are  in  error  to  rely  on  a  former  frame  of  mind  ;  or 
to  absent  yourself  from  duty,  at  the  loss  of  that  frame.  It 
is  pleasant,  indeed,  to  reflect  on  the  past ;  and  to  recal  that 
fondly  cherished  frame  of  heart.  But,  can  you  allow  your- 
self to  measure,  by  any  human  standard,  the  divine  obliga- 
tions laid  on  you,  by  your  adorable  Master  in  heaven  ? 
Are  you  to  obey  him  merely  when  you  happen  to  be  in  the 
favourable  humour  of  obeying  him  ?  Are  you  set  free  from 
obedience  when  out  of  that  peculiar  frame  1  No  : — assur- 
edly— no — never.  Therefore,  proceed  with  self-examina- 
tion. Take  a  fresh  hold  of  the  gospel  promise,  by  a  re- 
newed and  stronger  act  of  faith.  Go  forward  at  your  Re- 
deemer's call.  Go,  and  do  your  duty  ;  and  on  your  re- 
newed vow,  and  struggles  against  rising  unbelief,  seek  for 
the  joyful  return  of  a  happy  frame  of  mind.  Can  you  ex- 
pect to  recover  that  frame  which  you  mourn  over,  by  actually 
neglecting  duty,  and  sinning  still  more  1 

6.  Many  an  honest,  but  feeble  Christian  is  agitated  by  an 
objection  of  this  kind  : — "  I  would,  indeed,  willingly  come  to 
the  Lord's  table.  It  has  long  been  in  my  heart  to  do  it. 
But,  the  terrors  of  the  law  rise  up  before  me,  as  the  flaming 
swords  of  the  cherubim,  which  kept  that  way  which  seemed 
to  be  utterly  shut  against  me.  And  I  am  driven  away  be- 
fore the  flames,  and  thunders  from  Mount  Sinai.  I  can 
apply  no  part  of  God's  word  to  my  troubled  heart,  but  the 
denunciations  against  the  hardened  sinner,  and  the  hypo- 

38* 


446  INVITATION    TO    GOd's    CHILDREN. 

crite.  I  seem  actually  singled  out ;  and  I  stand  forth  in 
painful  exposure,  as  one  pointed  at  by  every  threatening  of 
his  most  pure  law  !  How  can  I  venture  forward  1  Would 
you  urge  me  on,  to  '  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  myself]* 
I  am  unworthy, — utterly  unworthy  !  How  can  I,  then, 
venture  forward?" 

6.  Indeed,  you  cannot,  dear  Christian,  be  too  jealous  of 
yourself,  or  too  humble.  But  you  must  be  just  to  yourself, 
as  well  as  severe,  in  your  honest  self-examination.  As  you 
would  avoid  the  extreme  of  the  hypocrite,  who  deems  him- 
self better  than  others :  so  must  you  avoid  the  strong  temp- 
tation of  Satan,  who  leaves  no  means  untried  to  drive  God's 
children  into  the  opposite  extreme, — to  despond,  and  write 
bitter  things  against  themselves  ;  as  if  they  were  the  very 
outcasts,  and  the  most  hopeless  ones  of  all  the  sons  of 
men  !  Be  just  to  yourself,  as  well  as  humble.  Enter  into 
your  closet.  Cast  yourself  at  the  feet  of  Christ  in  an  agony 
of  supplication.  Search  yourself  before  the  Lord.  "  Am 
I  a  lover  of  God  1  Prefer  I  any  object  on  earth,  to  him  ? 
Do  I  love  the  Redeemer,  and  choose  him  ivillingly  as 
mine  ?  Do  my  inmost  thoughts  tenderly  recur  to  him  with 
deep  veneration,  and  holy  awe  ?  Do  I  choose  any  object 
in  preference  to  him  ?  Do  I  stand  in  awe  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  1  Do  I  hate  every  iniquity  in  his  presence  ?  Have 
I,  at  least,  the  strong  desire  to  love  God  1  Do  I  even  de- 
sire it — and  desire  it  often  ?  Do  I  long  for  deliverance 
from  this  distressing  languor,  and  heartlessness  1  Do  I 
long  and  pray  for  deliverance  from  those  bewildering 
doubts  ?— Come,  my  soul,  art  thou  willing  to  sign,  and  seal 
thy  renunciation  of  Christ  as  thy  own  Saviour,  and  give  up 
the  last  hope,  and  even  the  desire  of  his  love  and  presence  ; 
and  to  return  again  to  the  ways  of  the  world,  and  the  works 
of  the  flesh  ? 

"  Oh  !    No, — no  : — never  can  I  do  that !" — So,  I  hear 
thee  say.     Thou  wilt  not  surrender  thy  hope  in  him.     Thou 


INVITATION    TO    GOd's    CHILDREN.  447 

canst  not  yield  up  the  desire  to  be  his.  How,  then,  canst 
thou  feel  so,  and  desire  so  ;  and  yet  venture  to  say  that 
thou  lovest  not  God,  thy  Redeemer  ?  Be  assured,  that  the 
genuine,  and  cherished  desire, — yes,  even  the  desire  of 
having  the  love  of  God  in  thee — does  indicate  the  reality 
of  thy  faith,  and  love  to  thy  God.  There  is  no  perfection  of 
holiness,  in  degree,  in  this  evil  world.  While  in  the  flesh, 
it  is  our  lot  to  war  a  fierce  warfare  against  the  sin  that 
dwelleth  in  the  very  best  of  us.  Study  the  seventh  chapter  of 
the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  thence  receive  wholesome 
and  humbling  instruction.. 

The  main  point  to  be  resolved  in  thy  mind,  young  Chris- 
tian, is  this.  Hast  thou  the  true  grace  of  God — perfect  in 
kind, — in  thee  ?  The  question  is  not,  whether  there  be  sin, 
and  complicated,  and  even  turbulent  sins  in  thee,  raging 
like  an  enemy,  that  is  tormented  and  dying.  The  question 
is  this  : — Does  grace  struggle  to  prevail  in  thee  ?  Does  it 
even  exist  in  thee,  though  it  may  not  noiu  seem  to  prevail  ? 
Is  it  in  thee,  as  a  living  and  struggling  element  of  holy 
life  1  Or,  is  sin  the  foul  master  spirit  in  thee  1  Lovest 
thou  God  more  than  the  creature  1  Lovest  thou  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  only  Saviour  1  Dost  thou  anxiously  pray  for 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Dost  thou  pray  in  thy  heart  for  real  holi- 
ness 1  Dost  thou  love  God's  holy  day,  and  the  ordinances  of 
his  house  1  Dost  thou  love  the  hour  of  secret  prayer  ?  And 
does  thy  soul  melt  into  sorrow,  in  secret,  at  God's  throne, 
while,  overpowered  by  divine  love,  thou  namest  thy  sins  and 
griefs  over  before  him  1  Dost  thou  long,  and  pray  for  due  pre- 
paredness for  this  solemn  duty,  and  all  the  other  duties  of 
life  1  Dost  thou  long  to  be  prepared  for  the  service  of 
God,  because  Jesus  Christ  lays  his  commands  on  thee  to 
do  that  service  purely  from  his  love  ? 

How  receivest  thou  these  questions,  or  any  one  of  them? 
Canst  thou  respond  to  them  affirmatively,  be  it  even  very 
feebly  1 — then  rest  assured,  that  thou  art  a  Christian.     And 


448  INVITATION    TO    GOD's    CHILDREN. 

if  thou  art  a  true  Christian, — be  thou  even  the  feeblest  of 
the  feeble, — even  a  babe  in  Christ,  be  assured,  and  take  the 
comfort  of  the  assurance,  that  thou  art  as  welcome  to  the 
Table  of  the  Lord,  as  if  thou  hadst  the  faith,  and  assurance 
of  the  father  of  the  faithful.  For  the  loving  and  sympathiz- 
ing Redeemer  delights  to  see  all  his  little  ones  at  his  table, 
as  well  as  the  groivn-up  sons  and  daughters  of  his  house- 
hold.    He  would  have  us  all  come  to  the  banquet  with  him. 

7.  Keep  in  view,  for  your  comfort,  this  great  principle 
of  religion : — It  is  not  the  strength  of  faith  merely,  that 
opens  to  thee  the  joy  of  a  cordial  welcome.  It  is  the 
reality  of  faith  that  carries  thee  up  to  the  bosom  of  thy 
Saviour,  to  lean  on  him  at  his  table.  Keep  up  this  plain 
distinction,  and  drive  away  fears  and  doubts  from  thy  bosom. 
A  vigorous  faith,  resting  with  unwavering  confidence  on 
Christ,  and  spiritual  knowlege  to  discern  the  Lord's  body  and 
blood,  are  of  vast  importance  to  thy  own  joy  and  happiness. 
And  they  render  a  high  and  solemn  homage  to  the  power 
and  love  of  Christ.  But,  that  which  is  essential  to  worthy 
communicating,  and  which  secures  to  thee  a  blessed  welcome 
from  Christ,  is  true  faith,  be  it  ever  so  feeble  ;  and  saving 
knowledge,  be  it  ever  so  small.  In  order,  therefore,  to  true 
and  worthy  communion,  assure  thyself  of  this,  that  the  reality 
of  faith  to  feed  upon  Christ,  and  the  genuineness  of  saving 
knowledge  to  discern  him  in  the  Holy  Supper,  are  the  things 
essentially  requisite  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  A  lively 
faith,  overcoming  the  painful  tumult  of  doubts,  and  fears  ; 
and  a  clear  and  heavenly  perception  of  Christ,  and  divine 
things,  do,  indeed,  elevate  the  vigbrous  Christian  to  the  high- 
er joys  of  salvation  ;  and  send  him  forward  exultingly,  like 
Elijah,  passing  through  the  wilderness  to  the  Mount  of  God. 
But  the  feeblest  child  of  his  household  is  as  welcome  as  he 
is,  to  the  Lord's  Table. 

Keep  this  distinction  with  care,  always  before  thy  mind. 
The  child  must  eat  many  a  meal  at  his  father's  table,  and 


INVITATION    TO    god's    CHILDREN.  449 

gain  from  it  the  nourishment,  and  growing  strength  of 
many  a  returning  festival,  before  he  can  reach  the  manhood 
and  vigour  of  his  elder  brethren.  Despise  not  the  day  of 
small  things.  Go,  in  all  thy  feebleness  of  infancy,  and 
youth,  to  thy  Father's  table.  Joyfully  partake  of  his  grace. 
Even  Abraham,  and  Paul,  and  David  were  once  babes  in 
grace.  Persevere  in  thy  duties.  And,  passing  on  from  in- 
fancy, thou  shalt  feel  the  joy  and  strength  of  youth,  and  of 
ripe  years.  I  a  due  time  thou  shalt  reach  the  measure  of  a  per- 
fect man  in  Christ.  And,  in  a  word,  lay  this  to  heart, — if  thou 
wert  already  perfect,  even  according  to  thy  wishes :  if  thou 
hadst  no  more  weakness,  nor  hungering,  nor  doubts,  nor 
fears,  then,  assuredly  thou  wouldst  no  more  stand  in  need  of 
the  communion  table,  than  do  the  perfect  saints  in  heaven. 

8.  And,  allow  me  to  transfer  to  a  common  meal,  thy  late 
mode  of  reasoning,  in  reference  to  thy  not  coming  to  the 
Holy  Table.  What  wouldst  thou  say  of  one,  who,  coming  in 
from  the  field  of  his  labours,  should  say,— "I  am  so  weak,  and 
so  feeble,  and  so  languid,  and  faint,  through  hunger,  and 
thirst,  that  I  shall  decline  my  master's  invitation : — nay,  I 
ivill  not, — and  really  cannot  think  of  sitting  down  to  that 
well-spread  table.  I  shall  neither  eat,  nor  drink  ;  but  wait 
here,  until,  being  refreshed,  and  full  of  strength,  I  shall  be  in 
a  good  condition  to  sit  down  to  these  plentiful  provisions !" 
Wouldst  thou  say  that  he  acted  like  a  wise  man?  Should 
not  his  very  objections  appear  to  thee,  the  strongest  of  all 
reasons  why  he  ought,  promptly,  to  sit  down,  and  by  using 
the  bounteous  provisions  of  his  master,  speedily  get  rid  of 
his  weakness,  and  languor,  and  faintness,  at  the  refreshing 
and  joyful  festival  1 

My  dear  young  brothers  and  sisters^  you  who  feel  yourselves 
in  this  condition,  are  the  very  persons  who  should  lose  no 
time  in  coming  to  the  Lord's  Table.  Come,  in  all  your  feeble- 
ness of  faith,  and  you  shall  receive  strength  of  the  Lord. 
Come,  with  all  your  fears  and  doubts  ;  and,  fixing  your  eyes. 


450  INVITATION    TO    GOd's    CHILDREN. 

on  your  dear  Redeemer's  face,  beaming  with  love  and 
grace,  chase  them  all  away  by  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance. Come,  then,  to  this  holy  communion.  Come,  at 
his  bidding.  Cast  yourselves  over  on  his  promise,  and  as- 
surance. Come,  leaning  on  his  sure  word.  For,  "  He  will 
make  thy  righteousness  go  forth  as  brightness,  and  thy  sal- 
vation as  a  lamp  that  burneth." 

9.  "  Yes  !  But  I  am  so  unworthy,  so  utterly  unworthy  !" — 
I  know  it  well.  Most  certainly  thou  art  even  so.  And  this 
should  urge  thy  speedy  flight  to  Christ  Jesus,  through  whom 
thou  shalt  obtain  righteousness,  as  well  as  strength,  and  a 
joyful  acceptance. 

And,  farther,  be  assured  that  no  believer  can  "  eat,  and 
drink  damnation  to  himself."  The  wilful  unbeliever  and 
impenitent  sinner,  whose  polluted  hands  wrest  this  to  a  se- 
cular purpose,  and  bring  mockery  for  an  offering  before  the 
Lord,  shall  feel  the  whole  weight  of  this  denunciation.  But, 
the  Christian  who  may,  and  does  sometimes,  "eat  and  drink 
unworthily,"  by  not  properly  discerning  the  Lord's  body  ; 
by  not  feeding  aright  on  him,  shall  "eat  and  drink  judg- 
ment to  himself."  That  is,  he  shall  receive  corrections,  by 
some  appropriate  afflictions.  These  his  compassionate 
Lords  brings  on  him  to  purify  his  soul,  and  fit  him  for  a 
more  acceptable  offering ;  and  a  holier  life,  in  time  to 
come.  And  thus,  he  is  brought  into  the  condition  of  a 
worthy  communicant,  by  discipline  for  former  delinquen- 
cies. 

10.  Come,  then,  dear  youth. — You  cannot  cherish  these 
doubts,  without  questioning  your  Lord's  love,  or  power.  And 
can  you  allow  yourself  to  persist  in  that  criminal  exercise 
for  a  moment  1  Be  assured,  you  cannot  yield  to  these 
doubts  and  objections  without  wronging  your  own  soul  : 
and  doing  dishonour  to  the  wisdom  of  your  Blessed  Mas- 
ter. He  ordained  this  ordinance,  not  to  renew  before  our 
eyes  the  terrors  of  Mount  Horeb ;  but  to  renew  the  most 


INVITATION    TO    GOD's    CHILDREN.  451 

consoling  expressions  of  his  love  before  us  in  Mount  Zion. 
He  ordained  this  not  to  be  an  altar  of  a  sin  offering  ;  but 
to  be  a  table,  at  which  he  should  feed  and  strengthen  his 
children  when  ready  to  faint.  He  ordained  this,  not  to  be 
a  test  of  our  perfection,  and  holiness  ;  and  superiority  over 
others :  but  to  confirm  us  in  grace,  to  give  vigour  to 
our  faith  ;  and  to  ripen  our  graces  ;  and,  thence,  give  new 
power,  and  beauty  to  holiness  :  and  thus,  give  assurance  to 
us  of  his  gracious  presence,  and  guidance  ;  over  the  whole 
course  of  our  lives ;  in  all  our  duties,  and  amid  all  our 
trials,  until  we  reach  the  full  measure  of  the  stature  of 
perfect  men  in  Christ :  and  be  ushered  into  God's  family 
in  heaven. 

11.  In  a  word,  there  seems  to  me  to  be  no  one  objection 
urged  against  the  duty  of  immediately  communicating, 
which  is  not  equally  valid  against  any  other  christian  duty. 
And  I  beg  that  this  may  be  weighed  thoughtfully,  by  every 
reader. 

"  I  cannot," — you  say, — "  I  dare  not  come  to  the  Lord's 
Table,  as  I  now  am." — Very  true.  But — my  brother,  my 
sister — you  must  first  go  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  obtain 
all  needful  grace.     Go,  this  instant,  or  you  may  perish. 

"  I  cannot, — Oh  !  I  dare  not  go  to  the  Holy  Table  as  I 
now  am  !" — Very  true  : — you  are  correct, — and  for  that 
same  reason,  on  which  you  seek  to  rest  your  plea  of  excuse 
here,  you  cannot, — you  dare  not  go  to  the  throne  of  your 
Maker,  even  to  pray !  You  need  grace  as  much  for  the  due 
discharge  of  the  one  duty,  as  for  the  other.  You  cannot  pray 
in  faith  in  your  present  condition.  Must  you,  therefore, 
utterly  restrain  prayer,  and  live  as  the  heartless  atheist  1 
You  cannot  give  a  spiritual  welcome  to  God's  holy  gospel, 
without  the  aid  of  his  grace.  Must  you,  therefore,  make  no 
effort ;  and  continue  to  remain  as  you  are  ;  and  thus  reject 
the  gospel,  with  all  its  hopes  and  happiness  ?  You  cannot, 
without  grace,  obey  one  single  precept  of  all  your  Maker's 


452  INVITATION  TO    GOd's    CHILDREN. 

•commands.  Must  you,  then,  live  as  a  heathen,  and  seek 
your  excuse  in  your  want  of  due  preparation  1 

Let  me  repeat  it  with  emphasis, — All  these  duties  you 
mustcio;  or  you  must  perish!  And  you  must  obey  God 
in  them,  this  instant,  as  we  have  seen.  But,  there  is  a  pre- 
vious duty  which  must  also  be  done  this  moment.  You 
must  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  You  must  go,  this  instant, 
and  secure  his  all-sufficient  grace.  You  must  go,  this  moment, 
to  obtain  the  new  heart,  and  every  needful  supply  of  grace. 
Go,  then,  this  very  instant,  and  give  yourself  up  to  the  Lord. 
And,  this  same  moment,  go  and  yield  an  unwavering  obe- 
dience to  God's  law  ;  in  prayer,  and  devout  communion 
at  his  Holy  Table  in  its  season. — I  cannot  urge  on  you 
too  earnestly  this  truth ;  namely,  that  the  delay  of  seeking, 
and  securing  divine  grace,  by  the  appointed  means,  and 
with  all  due  fervour  of  spirit,  cannot  possibly  be  any  excuse 
for  delaying  to  obey  any  of  God's  commands,  in  general ; 
or,  for  delaying,  in  particular,  to  go  forward  to  his  Holy 
Table.  Take  this  into  your  thoughtful  consideration,  dear 
young  Christian. 

12.  Finally,  enter  on  the  duty  of  self-examination  with 
suitable  humility,  earnestness,  and  prayer.  We  request 
you  to  give  yourself  to  the  study  of  the  doctrines,  which 
we  have  submitted  to  your  attention  in  the  first  Book  of  this 
volume.  Apply  them  to  your  own  conscience,  sincerely 
and  devoutly.  Then,  proceed  to  examine  yourself  on  your 
knowledge  of  saving  things ;  and,  particularly,  of  your 
knowledge  to  discern  the  Lord's  body  in  this  most  holy  or- 
dinance ;  of  your  faith  to  accept  him,  and  receive  divine 
grace  from  him  ;  of  your  godly  sorrow  for  all  your  sins  ;  of 
your  love  to  God  in  the  practice  of  every  Christian  duty ;  of 
your  love  to  man  in  the  acts  of  benevolence  and  charity  ; 
and  your  purpose  to  lead  a  holy  life  from  a  new  and  gracious 
principle.  And  the  Lord  will  send  thee  help  from  his 
sanctuary  ;  and  strengthen  thee  out  of  Zion.     He  will  re- 


INVITATION    TO    GOD's    CHILDREN.  463 

member  all  thy  offerings  ;  and  accept  thy  spiritual  sacrifices. 
He  will  grant  thee  according  to  thine  own  heart,  and  fulfil  all 
thy  counsel.  Thou  shalt  rejoice  in  his  salvation.  And  in 
the  name  of  thy  God  wilt  thou  set  up  thy  banner.  For  the 
Lord  will  fulfil  all  thy  petitions. — Ps.  xx.  2 — 5. 

ODE. 

"  The  blest  memorials  of  thy  grief, 

The  sufferings  of  thy  death, 
We  come,  dear  Saviour !  to  receive, 

And  would  receive  with  faith. 
The  tokens  sent  us  to  relieve 

Our  spirits,  when  they  droop, 
We  come,  dear  Saviour !  to  receive, 

And  would  receive  with  hopk. 
The  pledges  thou  wast  pleased  to  leave 

Our  mournful  minds  to  move, 
We  come,  dear  Saviour!  to  receive, 

And  would  receive  with  love. 
Here,  in  obedience  to  thy  word. 

We  take  the  bread,  and  wine  ; 
The  utmost  we  can  do,  dear  Lord  ! 

For  all  beyond  is  thine  ! 
Increase  our  faith,  our  love,  our  hope; 

Lord,  give  us  all  that's  good  : 
We  would  thy  full  salvation  prove; 

And  share  thy  flesh,  and  blood  !'* 


39 


CHAPTER  V. 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS,    WHEN    ABOUT    TO 
APPROACH    THE    LORD's    TABLE. 

"  Searcher  of  hearts,  oh  !  search  me  still : 
The  secrets  of  my  soul  reveal ; 
My  fears  remove  ;  let  me  appear 
To  God,  and  my  own  conscience  clear  1" 

1.  It  is  not  proper  to  postpone  the  important  work  of 
preparation,  to  the  near  approach  of  the  solemn  season.  I 
hope,  therefore,  dear  Christian,  that  you  have  kept  this 
matter  some  time  in  view,  with  deep  interest ;  and  that  yow 
have  spent  many  an  hour  in  suitable  meditation,  and  prayer, 
and  self-examination.  I  have  endeavoured  to  supply  you, 
for  this  purpose,  with  materials,  in  the  preceding  pages. 
Go  through  this  examination  in  a  thorough  manner. 
Ponder  these  doctrines  of  our  holy  religion  ;  make  yourself 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  each  of  them,  in  order  that  you 
may  be  an  intelligent  Christian.  Make  each  of  them  the 
subject  of  close,  and  devout  reflection.  Receive  them  with 
the  simplicity  of  children,  and  with  sincere  faith.  They 
are  to  your  souls,  what  wholesome  food  is  to  your  body. 
You  do  not  receive  them  aright,  and  digest  them,  unless  you 
derive  vital  nourishment,  audstrength  from  them,  for  the  day 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  456 

of  duty  and  trial.  Rest  not  satisfied  with  any  thing  short 
of  a  strongly  quickening  influence  put  forth  by  them,  on 
your  heart.  And  let  the  divine  authority  with  which  they 
come  upon  your  soul,  produce  a  constant  excitement  to 
love,  devotion,  and  cheerful  obedience.  Fail  not  to  reduce 
every  precept  of  Christ  scrupulously  to  practice.  You  must 
not  only  put  on  Christ ;  but  you  must  walk  in  him.  Your 
aim  should  be,  to  be  an  intelligent,  devout,  and  holy  Chris- 
tian. And  thus  you  will  enjoy  an  habitual  preparation  for 
this  solemnity ;  and  honour  your  heavenly  Father. 

2.  And  when  the  season  of  communion  has  come,  retire 
to  your  closet,  or  into  the  house  of  God,  and  pour  out  your 
heart  to  God,  and  mingle  devotion  with  self-examination, 
after  this  manner  : — 

<'  It  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved  Redeemer  !  My  soul 
feels  the  constraining  urgency  of  his  call.  I  come,  O  my 
Lord !  at  thy  command.  I  am  overpowered  by  a  conscious- 
ness of  my  infirmities,  and  utter  unworthiness.  ^  I  had 
fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the  Lord's  goodness  in 
the  land  of  the  living.'  For  the  adversary  has  sought  to 
overwhelm  me  with  distracting  fears,  and  terrors.  I  often 
feel  that  I  must  not, — that  I  really  dare  not  come  to  the 
Lord's  table.  But  I  charge  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
me,  vigilantly  to  resist  the  tempter.  Shall  I  yield  to  fears, 
when  God  is  with  me  1  Shall  I  give  way  to  doubts,  and 
despondency,  when  I  have  my  Saviour's  assurance  that  he 
will  preserve  my  soul  alive,  and  cherish  in  me  every  grace 
of  the  spiritual  life  ?  ^  Shall  not  He  who  begins  the  good 
work  in  my  soul,  perform  it  to  the  day  of  Christ  V  Can  I 
sink  in  despair,  and,  like  Jonah,  fly  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord,  and  from  my  present  duty,  when  the  God  of  my 
hope  will  bruise  Satan  under  my  feet  shortly  1  Shall  I  ever, 
then,  yield  up  my  hope, — inspired  and  cherished  as  it  is  by 
the  heavenly,  and  spirit-sustaining  promises  of  the  Al- 
mighty 1     Shall  I  shrink  from  this  call  to  duty  1     Shall  I 


466  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

bssely  yield  to  the  world,  and  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  and 
the  power  of  Satan  ;  and,  thereby,  obey  them,  rather  than 
my  God  ?  His  command  is  distinct  and  peremptory;  and 
it  is  divinely  cheering.  For  it  is  attended  by  assurances  of 
his  divine  assistance ;  and  a  joyful  acceptance  ;  and  an 
abounding  comfort.  The  voice  of  the  tempter,  on  the  con- 
trary, is  dreary  and  desponding.  It  leads  to  desertion  of 
duty,  and  darkness,  and  the  death  of  the  yielding  traitor! 

"I  have  entered  on  the  examination  of  my  heart,  and 
life.  And,  O  my  God!  thou  hast  allowed  me,  amidst  many 
fears,  and  painful  difficulties,  still  to  indulge  a  hope  that  I 
have  learned  of  Christ,  to  know  thee.  For,  if  I  am  not 
deceived,  the  more  1  know  thee,  0  my  God,  and  Saviour, 
the  more  I  do  love  thee,  and  the  more  humble  I  feel  in  thy 
pure  and  awful  presence, — I  trust,  my  faith  is  not  that  of 
the  self-deceiver.  For,  if  my  experience  be  correct,  it 
waxes,  in  some  degree,  stronger  and  stronger.  And  with 
its  growing  strength,  I  trust,  I  feel  more  than  ever,  the  ex- 
ceeding evil  of  sin :  and  my  entire  dependence  on  thee ; 
and  the  vanity  of  self-righteousness  ;  and  the  hypocrite's 
trust.  And  as  the  assurance  of  Christ's  all -sufficiency 
grows,  and  waxes  strong  in  my  conscience  ;  I  feel  a  long- 
ing desire  to  renounce  all  righteousness  which  is  of  the 
law ;  and  every  ground  of  hope  from  created  power,  and 
man's  merit.  And  may  I  not  venture  to  say  that,  in  propor- 
tion as  I  see  all  these  in  the  light  of  thy  unclouded  glory, 
and  the  stainless  perfection  of  thy  justice,  the  pride  of  hu- 
man merit, — and  all  self-trust,  and  boasting,  become  more 
and  more  hateful  in  mine  eyes.  I  dare  not  think  of  any 
price  to  offer  thee.  I  have  none  to  offer  thee.  And  thou, 
most  sovereign  and  gracious  God,  never  sellest  thy  blessing. 
They  flow  freely  to  us,  poor  sinners,  through  Christ.  Yes, 
they  come  as  purely,  and  as  freely  as  the  wind  on  our  moun- 
tains. I  cannot  wrong  thee,  my  dear  Redeemer!  I  cannot 
bear  the  thought  of  taking  the  crown  off  thy  august  head,  on 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  457 

which  "  there  are  many  crowns."  I  cannot,  and  will  not 
take  one  gem  from  its  sparkling  glory.  No,  never.  I 
love  thee,  O  my  God  !  for  what  thou  art  in,  and  of  thyself. 
I  love  thee  because  thou  art  glorious  in  holiness  ;  of  justice 
unspotted  ;  of  majesty,  and  truth  infinite  ;  whilst  thou  art 
full  of  compassion,  and  mercy  to  poor  sinners,  like  my- 
self. I  love  thee,  my  heavenly  Father ; — if  my  heart  de- 
ceive me  not, — I  love  thee  with  gratitude  unfeigned.  I 
adore  thee  for  what  thou  hast  foreordained  for  me  in  the 
covenant  of  peace,  before  the  world  began.  This  heart 
loves  thee,  and  adores  thee,  0  Father !  for  the  gift  of  thy 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  all  my  salvation  !  My  heart  loves 
thee,  and  adores  thee,  O  my  Redeemer !  for  all  that  thou 
hast  condescended  to  do,  and  suffer  for  me ;  and  for  all  that 
thou,  as  my  Blessed  Intercessor,  art  now  doing  for  me  ^ 
and  for  all  that  thou  hast,  in  thy  condescension  and  faith- 
fulness, promised  yet  to  perform  on  my  behalf,  in  time,  in  the 
hour  of  death,  and  at  the  judgment  day  !  And  thee,  I  love 
and  adore  with  all  my  heart,  O  Holy  Ghost !  the  author  of 
spiritual  life,  and  of  all  the  divine  graces  ;  and  of  all  the 
Christian's  consolations,  and  of  the  assured  hope  of  the  bles- 
sed resurrection,  and  life  everlasting.  I  bow  the  knee  daily 
before  thee,  O  most  blessed  Triune  God  !  And  I  humbly 
beg  to  yield  up  soul,  and  life,  and  all  I  havCj  to  thee  in  grate- 
ful affection,  adoration,  and  obedience  ! 

"And,  now,  in  this  moment  of  doubting,  and  hesitation, 
when  the  foe  assails  me  in  the  near  prospect  of  duty,-^0 
smile  upon  my  languid  soul.  Vouchsafe  thy  quickening 
grace  to  me.  Receive  my  languishing  faith.  Grant  me 
peace,  and  a  token  for  good,  through  the  blood  of  the  ever- 
lasting covenant.  Am  I  not  thy  servant,  0  Lord  !  formed 
by  thee  to  be  what  I  am,  with  all  these  faculties,  and  this 
immortal  being  to  know  thee,  to  love  thee,  and  serve  thee? 
Oh  !  for  increase  of  grace,  and  the  spirit  of  holiness,  that 
I  may  be  thy  accepted  servant  in  the  ways  of  true  holiness  ! 

39* 


458  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

"  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  now  calling  thy  children  to  the  festival 
of  thy  holy  communion.  And  it  is  thy  will  that  none  of  thy 
dear  children  be  amissing  at  such  a  season.  It  is  a  feast  of 
peace,  and  exceeding  joy  :  and  I  come,  0  Lord,  as  one  of 
them.  I  come  to  receive  even  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  thy 
table.  Oh !  for  an  increase  of  light,  that  I  nrtay  know, — 
and  a  purer  conscience,  that  I  may  feel  that  I  am  thy  child, 
0  Lord !  and  have  a  right  to  the  children's  bread. 

** «  Whom  have  I  in  heaven,  but  thee  !  And  there  is  none 
upon  earth,  that  I  desire  beside  thee.  My  flesh,  and  my 
heart  faileth.  But  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my 
portion  for  ever  !' — In  thee,  0  my  God,  have  I  sought,  and 
in  thee  have  I  found  this  everlasting  portion.  I  have  look- 
ed,— and,  I  trust,  long  and  earnestly,  into  this  anxious 
heart  of  mine,  and,  notwithstanding  all  its  wants,  and  infir- 
mities, and  its  dark  hours  of  sorrow,  and  its  sins,  and 
complicated  cares,  I  do  yet  humbly  indulge  the  hope,  that 
there  is  not  one  object  under  the  heavens  that  I  desire  be- 
fore thee.  0  search  me  ;  and  try  me  :  as  I  do  humbly  es- 
say to  search,  and  try  my  soul.  And  if  there  be  an  idol 
there,  usurping  thy  throne,  consecrated  to  thee,  do  thou  ut- 
terly abolish  it ;  and  reign  thou,  there,  0  my  God  !  in  thy  su- 
premacy, and  the  beauty  of  holiness.  If  there  lurks  a  foe  to 
thee,  within  the  windings,  and  foldings  of  this  heart,  bring 
it  forth,,  0  Lord,  and  slay  it  before  mine  eyes. 

«^  Have  1  not  chosen  thee,  Lord  Jesus,  to  be  my  supreme 
Lord  and  Master  ?  Do  I  not  love  thy  pure  and  hallowed 
truth  T  Are  they  not  sweeter  than  honey  to  my  lips  ?  Are 
they  not  the  light  of  mine  eyes,  and  the  guide  of  my  feet, 
and  the  joy  of  my  heart?  Do  I  not  long  to  keep  thy 
commands  ?  Do  \  not  venerate  all  thy  ordinances  ?  The 
stamp  of  thy  authority  on  them  makes  them  dear  to  my 
heart.  Do  I  not  delight  in  thy  house,  and  the  place  where 
thine  honour  dwells?  When  I  see  thy  dear  image  in  thy 
children,  do  not  I  love  them  as  my  own   brothers   and  sis- 


"  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  459 

ters  ?  Do  I  not  hate  the  ways  of  false  and  wicked  sinners  ? 
Am  I  not  grieved  when  I  see  transgressors  mocking  thy 
sabbath,  thy  word,  and  thy  mercies  :  and  thereby  wronging 
their  own  souls  ?  Does  not  my  soul  feel  more  joy,  and 
pleasure,  in  one  sweet  hour  of  communion  with  thee,  my 
God,  than  what  the  men  of  this  world  enjoy,  when  their 
corn  and  their  wine  abound  ?  Oh  !  to  be  more  and  more 
discouformed  to  this  world  ;  and  transformed  in  the  renew- 
ing of  my  mind.  I  bewail  the  treachery  of  my  thoughts  ; 
the  vanity,  and  looseness  of  my  imagination  ;  the  levity  of 
my  passions  ;  and  the  carnality  of  my  heart.  In  the  hour 
of  the  world's  trials,  oh  !  how  often  I  forget  thee  !  In  the 
hour  of  temptation,  how  often  do  I  mournfully  feel  the  cor- 
rupt and  hateful  remains  of  the  old  man  in  this  heart !  O 
Lord!  how  long, — how  long  shall  it  be,  ere  I  be  freed  from 
this  body  of  sin,  and  death  1  Wretched  man  that  I  am  !  Who 
will  free  me  from  it?  Praise,  and  everlasting  gratitude  be  to 
thee,  O  God  ;  the  grace  of  Christ  has  the  divine  merit  of 
effectual  cleansing.  And  the  Holy  Ghost  effectually  applies 
this  purifying  and  healing  balm  ! 

"  In  the  pressure  of  the  world's  cares,  and  the  fascination 
of  its  seducing  pleasures,  O  let  me  know, — let  me  feel,  that 
it  is  no  more,  what  it  used  to  be  to  me — my  Divine  Mas- 
ter! Help  me,  in  times  coming,  to  mark  successfully,  the 
true  line  which  divides  the  honest  and  allowable  cares  of 
this  world,  from  those  which  are  unreasonable,  and  sinful. 
While  ^  I  am  not  slothful  in  business,  let  me  never  be 
the  world's  slave.'  May  neither  its  cares,  nor  its  pleasures 
seduce  my  soul  from  thee.  *  Grant  me  neither  poverty,  nor 
riches.'  When  riches  increase,  let  not  my  heart  be  set  on 
them.  I  shall  gratefully  accept  of  thee  all  thou  mayst 
vouchsafe  to  give.  I  shall  bow  in  humble  submission,  when 
thy  hand  withholds,  or  takes  away.  Deliver  me,  O  God, 
from  the  lust  of  gold.  For  this  lust  of  money  is  the  root  of 
all  evil.     0  let  my  soul  be  found  steadily  in  the  position 


460  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

of  thy  spouse,  as  seen  in  vision  by  John.*  Let  me  be 
crowned  with  a  crown  of  stars  ;  adorned  with  the  spotless 
robe  of  thy  righteousness  ;  '  and  having  the  moon,' — even 
all  sublunary  objects,  <  under  my  feet  I' 

"The  motions  of  Uhe  sin  that  dwell eth  within  me'  are 
sources  of  constant  uneasiness,  and  sorrow  to  me.  On 
some  occasions,  when  my  sin  prevails  against  me,  my  soul 
is  in  deep  troubles.  A  heavy  cloud  rolls  over  my  soul : 
deep  calleth  unto  deep  :  wave  after  wave  passeth  over  me. 
I  can  see  no  evidence  remaining  that  I  am  thy  child. 
When  I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted.  Yet — 0  Lord, 
do  I  not  love  thee  ;  and  cling  to  thee  as  my  last,  and  only 
hope.  Oh!  how  much  remains  in  me  yet  to  be  mortified.* 
I  go  mourning  before  thee.  This  vanity  of  thought !  This 
levity  of  mind  !  This  love  of  the  world  !  This  awful 
aversion  to  secret  devotion  !  These  wanderings  of  heart 
from  thee  in  my  holiest  services  !  This  obstinacy  of  my 
will  against  thy  sovereign  will  !  This  vile  impurity  of 
imagination  !  These  carnal  workings,  and  persevering 
struggles  of  my  desires,  affections,  and  passions,  and  ap- 
petites !  Oh  !  how  sad  and  mournful  these  remains  of 
indwelling  sin  !  O  Holy  Spirit,  cleanse  me  from  my  sin  ; 
wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity.  Purge  away  all 
my  sin  ;  and  I  shall  be  clean  :  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be 
whiter  than  snow.  0  God,  restore  me  the  joy  of  thy  sal- 
vation. Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God  ;  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  me.  Grant  me  a  fixed  and  holy  habit  of 
mind  :  and  a  resolute  courage  to  resist  the  first  approach  of 
the  tempter  ;  and  to  keep  myself  carefully  from  the  sin  that 
easily  besetteth  me.  Oh  !  for  a  pervading  spirituality  of 
the  whole  soul,  that  my  heart  may  be  fixed  on  God.  Oh ! 
for  that  pure  and  heavenly-mindedness,  whereby  I  shall  be 
assimilated  to  my  Redeemer  ;   <  whom  not  having  seen,  I 

♦  Rev.  xii.  1. 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  461 

love  ;  in  whom,  though  I  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  I  re- 
joice with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.'     1  Pet.  i.  8. 

"  But,  all  my  cares,  and  sorrows,  and  indwelling  sin 
shall  not  drive  me  from  thy  presence,  nor  tempt  me  to  ne- 
glect the  present  duty.  I  come  to  thy  holy  table,  0  my 
God !  bowed  down  as  I  am,  with  a  sense  of  my  weakness 
and  infirmities ;  and  my  utter  unworthiness.  I  come,  at  thy 
bidding;  to  meet  thee,  my  God ;  to  commune  with  thee; 
and  receive  out  of  thy  fulness  thy  confirming  and  strengthen- 
ing grace.  I  come  to  thee,  to  buy  ;  but  I  buy  without  mo- 
ney, and  without  price.  I  come  to  lay  down  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross,  all  my  sins,  original  and  actual ;  and  to  bewail 
all  my  wants,  and  woes.  I  come  to  receive  from  thy  muni- 
ficent grace,  my  Redeemer's  robe  of  righteousness,  to  be 
my  righteousness.  I  come  to  receive  thy  purifying  grace 
to  beautify  me,  and  'make  me  all  glorious  within.' 

"  I  come  to  obtain  a  fresh  and  exhilarating  view  of  my  God, 
in  the  wonders  of  his  redeeming  love.  I  come  to  receive 
a  new,  and  refreshing  sight  of  the  Lamb  of  God  who  took 
away  all  our  sins.  I  come  to  receive  another  impressive 
sight  of  the  appalling  evil  of  sin  :  that  the  rock  of  my  heart, 
being  smitten  by  the  rod  of  God,  may  send  forth  the  flow- 
ing waters  of  penitential  sorrow.  I  come  to  admire,  and 
adore  the  awful,  but  spotless  justice  of  thy  throne,  which 
caused  the  sword  to  awake  in  its  unmitigated  fury,  against 
THE  Man,  thy  Fellow,  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  our 
dear  Redeemer  !  I  come  to  receive  a  new,  and  animating 
glimpse  of  the  matchless  glory  of  thy  divine  government ; 
which  has  been  exalted  in  unsurpassable  majesty,  and  puri- 
ty before  all  intelligences.  I  come  to  see  a  fresh  exhibi- 
tion of  my  Redeemer's  triumphs  in  his  death  ;  in  his  resur- 
rection ;  in  his  ascension  ;  in  his  intercession.  I  come  to 
celebrate  the  anticipated  glory  of  his  descent  to  the  final 
judgment.  I  come  to  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ  before 
God,  the  judge  of  all,     I  come  to  show  it  forth  to  my  own 


462  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

soul,  as  the  only  source  of  all  my  hopes.  I  come  to  show 
it  forth  to  the  world  ;  while  I  exclaim — '  God  forbid  that  I 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  unto  the 
world.'  I  come  to  show  it  forth  to  the  angels,  who  are,  in 
the  government  of  my  Redeemer,  made  ministering  spirits 
to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  I  come  to  show  it  forth  to  the 
spirits  of  darkness,  to  whom  the  humblest  of  God's  children 
can  offer  a  stout-hearted  resistance  ;  and  bid  defiance  to  all 
their  temptations.  For,  through  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
Christ  will  bruise  Satan  under  our  feet  shortly  ! 

"  I  come  to  thy  table,  to  re<;eive  of  thee  a  fresh  assurance 
of  the  pardon  of  my  sins,  and  my  personal  acceptance  in 
justification  ;  and  my  adoption  into  thy  family  ;  and  to  re- 
ceive afresh,  the  spirit  of  adoption,  to  say  Abba,  Father ! 
I  come,  0  my  God !  to  receive  out  of  thy  fulness,  and 
grace  to  cherish  every  grace  within  me.  And,  being  fed  in 
this  wilderness,  by  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  I  shall  pursue 
the  path  of  my  duties  to  God,  to  man,  and  to  myself,  until 
I  reach  the  mount  of  the  divine  presence  in  heaven.  1 
come  to  renew  my  covenanting  vows,  and  make  a  fresh 
surrender  of  this  soul, — this  body, — and  this  spirit,  to  thee, 
my  Creator,  my  Preserver,  my  Redeemer,  and  Judge ! 
I  come  to  thee,  0  Lord!  in  the  holy  communion  on  earth, 
that  thou  mayest  enlarge  my  desires ;  and  satisfy  my 
anxious  longings ;  and  fulfil  the  delicious  hopes  I  have  of 
eternal  rest  in  heaven.  Now,  O  God !  I  go  forward  in  thy 
name.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  vouchsafe  thy  presence 
to  me  at  thy  table :  and  let  my  soul  rejoice  in  the  holy 
services  of  this  communion.  And  to  thy  venerable 
name  shall  be  all  the  glory,  now,  and  for  ever.  '  Our  Fa- 
ther who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  thy  name,'  &c.  &c. 
Amen." 


CHAPTER  VL 


DIRECTIONS     FOR     OUR     EXERCISES     WHILE     AT    THE    HOLT 
TABLE    OF    THE    LORD. 

"  Thine  I  am,  O  my  God  !  wholly, — only, — and  for  ever  !" 

Here,  at  thy  table  I  lift  my  soul  to  thee,  0  Lord.  In 
the  midst  of  many  troubles,  and  sorrows,  and  deaths,  thou 
hast  spared  me  to  enjoy  the  spiritual  pleasures  of  this  return- 
ing season.  Many  a  dear  friend,  and  many  a  beloved  rela- 
tive have  been  taken  away  from  mine  eyes.  Their  places 
in  the  church  and  social  circle  are  deserted.  And  we  see 
them  no  more.  0  Lord  !  thy  patience,  and  sparing  mercy 
have  bestowed  on  me,  thy  poor  unworthy  servant,  this  fresh 
privilege  of  glorifying  thee  in  the  land  of  the  living  ;  in 
thy  house  ;  and  at  thy  table  ! 

Now,  grant  me,  0  Holy  Spirit  !  clear  and  refreshing 
views  of  these  divine  things.  Help  thy  servant  truly  to 
discern  the  body,  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  in  these  symbols 
of  thy  own  appointment :  that  in  this  holy  ordinance  my 
soul  may  be  lifted  up  on  the  wings  of  faith  to  heavenly  com- 
munion with  thee,  0  God,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ! 

Oh !  for  reviving  grace  in  this  season  of  divine  com- 
munion. Remove  from  my  heart  all  the  obstructions  of  sin. 


464  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

Roll  away  from  my  troubled  soul,  all  these  oppressive  cares 
and  sorrows,  which  weigh  me  down  to  the  earth.  Oh ! 
quicken  my  languid  spirit  into  the  freshness,  and  vigour  of 
the  new  life.  Let  my  faith  go  out  to  thee  in  its  renewed 
strength  ;  that  I  may  come  up  joyfully  into  thy  presence, 
and  take  hold  of  thy  rich  promises,  and  receive  out  of  my 
Redeemer's  fulness,  and  grace  for  grace.  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness !  shine, — Oh  !  shine  upon  me  ;  and  chase  away  every 
cloud  of  darkness,  and  doubt,  which  passes  over  my  soul,  in 
this  solemn  hour  of  devotion.  And  warm  this  cold  and 
languid  heart  into  an  ardent  and  unwavering  affection  to 
thee,  my  Redeemer. 

To  thee  I  lift  my  soul,  0  Lord  ;  and  I  bless  thee,  and 
adore  thee  for  the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ,  whose  love  prompted 
him  to  hasten  from  the  throne  of  his  glory  ;  who  became  our 
substitute  ;  and  paid  the  ransom  price  for  such  a  sinner  as 
me!  What  amazing  condescension!  What  unparalleled 
love  of  God  !  Oh  1  height,  and  depth  ;  breadth  and  length 
of  the  love  of  God !  My  sins  were  laid  on  thee,  O  my 
compassionate  Redeemer  !  Thou  didst  bear  the  penalty  of 
the  law  for  me.  Thou  didst  suffer  in  thy  pure  soul,  and 
body,  the  terrible  punishment  exacted  for  us,  by  divine 
justice.  I  follow  thee  over  the  field  of  thy  obedience,  and 
sufferings,  and  death  from  thy  cradle  to  thy  cross.  Oh  I  pure 
and  holy  One,  thou  hadst  no  sin  of  thy  own.  But  thou 
hadst  all  the  sins  of  the  whole  church  laid  as  a  burden  on 
thy  soul.  I  here  commemorate  thy  love,  in  the  achievement 
of  our  redemption.  For  me,  didst  thou  suffer  these  reproach- 
es which  broke  thy  heart.  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee. 
And  therefore  do  I  commemorate  thee,  and  thy  dying  ago- 
nies  !  I  look  not  at  the  cruel  and  unjust  men  who  murder- 
ed the  Lord  of  glory.  1  see  them  not.  I  think  not  of  them. 
My  sins — my  sins — these  were  the  cruel  enemies,  which 
bound  thee !  My  sins  were  the  enemies  which  rejected 
thee,  and  reproached  thee,  and  blasphemed  thee !     My  sins 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  465 

put  the  horrid  crown  of  thorns  on  thy  most  sacred  head. 
My  sins  smote  thee,  and  buffeted  thee,  O  my  dear  Redeem- 
er !  I  commemorate  thy  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  and 
the  ineffable  agonies  of  thy  soul,  which  were  caused  by  my 
iniquities.  Yes — My  sins  laid  the  crushing  burden  of 
this  terrible  agony  on  thy  pure  soul.  My  sins  caused 
these  pains  of  hell  to  be  inflicted  on  thy  soul !  My  sins 
caused  the  horrible  indignity  of  the  mock  trial  before  the 
tribunals  of  the  Jews,  and  Pilate,  and  Herod  !  My  sins  in- 
flicted on  thee  the  horrid  scourging  by  the  Roman  barba- 
rians !  My  guilt  pierced  thy  most  sacred  hands  and  feet ! 
My  crimes  nailed  thee  on  the  cross  !  My  sins  pierced  thy 
heart  by  the  Roman  spear !  Oh  !  that  these  sins  of  mine 
were  crucified  :  that  I  may  be  dead  unto  them  ;  and  they 
dead  unto  me ! 

"  When  Jesus  hung  upon  the  tree, 
In  agonies  and  blood  ; 
He  cast  his  languid  eyes  on  me, 
As  near  the  cross  I  stood. 

Oh  !  never  to  my  dying  breath,  ^ 

Can  I  forget  that  look. 
He  seemed  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 

Though  not  a  word  he  spoke. 

A  second  look  he  gave,  and  said, 

I  freely  all  forgive : 
This  life  is  for  thy  ransom  paid  ; 

I  die,  that  thou  mayst  live. 

With  pleasing  grief,  and  mournful  joy, 

My  spirit  now  is  filled. 
That  I  should  such  a  life  destroy  ; 

Yet,  live  by  Him  I  killed  !" 

J.  Newton. 

Here,  then,  in  view  of  this,  I  come   in   penitence   and 
faith,  into  thy  presence,  to  own  thee  publicly,  O  my  God  ! 

40 


466  DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS. 

Here  do  I  own,  and  confess  that  I  have  all  my  righteousness 
and  strength,  in  Christ  ;^and  in  him  alone.  Here,  I  avouch 
my  Heavenly  Father's  love  to  be  the  only  procuring  cause 
of  my  salvation.  Here  I  avouch  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
manifested  in  the  flesh,  to  be  my  only  Redeemer;  whose 
righteousness  is  the  sole  meritorious  cause  of  my  redemp- 
tion. And,  here,  I  openly  renounce  all  self-righteousness, 
all  legal  hopes,  as  not  only  unavailing  in  the  matter  of  my 
personal  justification,  before  God  ;  but  as  nothing  less  than 
filthy  rags  !" — Here,  I  avouch  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  the 
sole  author  of  all  renewing,  and  sanctifying  grace  ;  and  my 
divine  Comforter,  and  guide  through  the  duties,  and  the  trial 
of  life  to  immortal  glory  !  My  heart  leaps  with  joy  in  me, 
while  I  thus  commemorate  this  glorious  plan  of  redeem- 
ing love  by  the  Triune  God, — the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost ! 

But,  I  owe  thee,  my  God,  another  vow.  And  here  I 
leave  it  before  thee.  With  solemnity  I  do  vow  to  renounce 
the  world,  with  all  its  sinful  pleasures  ;  and  its  vile,  and 
degrading  slavery.  I  do,  also,  renounce  the  flesh,  with  all 
its  bitter,  and  protracted  struggles,  and  opposition  to  the 
work  of  grace.  And  I  renounce  the  devil,  and  all  his 
usurped  dominion  ;  by  which  he  labours  to  hold  man  in  his 
'lorrid  bondage,  and  misery,  and  spiritual  death  !  Oh !  to  be 
like  my  Saviour  ;  when  I  shall  be  able  to  say,  "  Satan  Com- 
eth, but  he  hath  nothing  in  me  !" 

"  And  with  this  vow  of  renunciation,  I  here  beg,  O  my 
compassionate  God !  to  give  myself  away  to  thee  in  this 
fresh  renovation  of  my  covenant.  Thou  knowest  that  this 
Qeart, — this  poor  trembling  heart,  loves  thee,  0  God  ! — Oh  ! 
that  I  could  love  thee  more,  and  serve  thee  more  faithfully  ! 
I  am  thine.  Thou  hast  made,  and  fashioned  me.  I  am  thy 
servant,  bought  with  '«  a  price, — all  price  beyond !"  I  devote 
myself  to  thee, — wholly ;  to  thee  only  ;  to  thee  for  ever ! 
I  engage,  in  humble  reliance  on  thee,  to  labour  more  faith- 


DIRECTIONS    TO    COMMUNICANTS.  467 

fully  than  ever,  in  thy  holy  cause ;  and  to  strive  in  all  humi- 
lity to  watch  more  studiously,  over  all  the  struggles  of  this 
body  of  sin  and  death  in  me  ;  to  resist  temptation,  and  to 
mortify  it,  in  all  its  turbulent  lusts,  and  affections ;  to  work 
out  my  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  in  the  use  of  all 
divine  means,  through  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who 
works  in  me  both  to  will,  and  do  :  and  to  keep  thy  memory 
alive  in  the  meditations,  and  love  of  my  heart :  and  to  keep 
myself  in  the  love  of  God  :  and  to  grow  in  grace  :  and 
carefully  to  keep  myself  from  mine  iniquity.  I  vow  to  thee, 
O  my  God,  that  by  thy  reviving  grace,  I  will  carefully  guard 
the  doors  of  my  lips  against  evil- speaking,  and  against  all 
that  may  offend  thee,  my  God,  in  my  prayers ;  in  my  con- 
versation ;  and  in  my  business  with  men.  I  vow  to  thee 
that  I  shall  be  more  watchful  against  the  besetting  sin  of 
languor,  and  negligence  in  the  duty  of  secret  prayer ;  and 
family  devotion.  I  vow  to  thee  to  be  more  careful  and 
painstaking  in  training^  up  each  one  of  the  souls  entrusted  to 
my  care,  in  my  household  :  to  be  more  dutiful,  forgiving, 
and  affectionate  to  each  one  of  my  dear  relatives ;  to  be 
more  zealous  in  sanctifying  the  Lord's  day ;  and  improving 
every  one  of  the  means  of  divine  grace  for  my  growth  in 
holiness,  and  my  better  capacity  to  set  a  more  christian  Jike 
example  to  all  those  around  me.  And,  thus,  I  will  labour, 
in  humility  and  fidelity,  to  acknowledge  the  Lord  in  all  my 
ways,  in  the  delightful  confidence  that  He  will  direct  my  path. 


CHAPTER  VH. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    THE    GUIDANCE    OF    YOUNG    CHRISTIANS, 
DURING    THE    SACRAMENTAL    ACTION. 

1.  The  minister  begins  the  Sacramental  action,  by 
saying, — while  he  lifts  the  bread,  and  breaks  it : — "  Our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  be- 
trayed, took  bread,  and  having  given  thanks,  he  brake  it, — 
as  I  do  after  his  example, — and  he  gave  it  to  his  disciples, 
as  I  now  give  it  to  you,  saying,- — '  Take  it,  eat  it :  this  is 
my  body  broken  for  you.'  "  At  this  moment  let  your  heart 
in  silence  thus  reply  : — "  0  Lord  !  I  accept  it  as  the  symbol 
of  thy  broken  body.  I  am  as  sure  that  my  Redeemer  took 
upon  him  human  nature,  as  I  am  sure  that  this  is  bread. 
As  surely  as  this  bread  is  cut,  and  broken  to  pieces,  so 
am  I  sure  that  he  was  broken,  and  mangled  in  death  for 
me.  As  surely  as  I  take  this,  so  surely  would  my  longing 
soul  take,  and  accept  Christ.  I  do  now  remember,  and 
commemorate  my  Redeemer's  sorrows  on  earth  ;  his  ago- 
ny in  the  garden  ;  his  condemnation  that  I  might  be  set 
free  ;  his  death  on  the  cross,  that  I  might  not  die  the  second 
death.  I  profess  my  faith  in  him  as  my  substitute,  who 
gave  a  sacrifice,  and  offering  for  me.  T  come  to  receive 
all  needful  grace  out  of  his  fulness.  I  here  do  publicly  take 
thee  as  my  only  Saviour.     I  vow  to  be  thine,  0  Lord,  in 


DIRECTIONS    TO    THE    YOUNG    CHRISTIAN.  469 

new  obedience.     I  will  do  this  until  thou  come  to  me  at 
death,  to  receive  me  to  thy  glory.' " 

2.  When  the  minister  presents  the  cup,  saying, — "  This 
cup  is — that  is,  signifies,  the  New  Testament,  sealed  by  my 
blood,  shed  for  many,  drink  ye,  every  one,  of  it ;" — let  your 
souls  reply  in  silence,  as  you  take,  and  drink  of  the  cup, — 
"  As  surely  as  this  wine  is  poured  out,  so  surely  was  the 
blood  of  my  Saviour  shed  on  the  cross :  as  freely  as  this 
cup  is  put  into  my  hand,  so  freely  is  my  Saviour's  righte- 
ousness, even  the  blood  of  his  atonement,  given  to  me. 
And  as  I  drink  of  this  cup,  so  do  I  receive  by  faith,  my  Sa- 
viour's righteousness,  as  my  life,  my  nourishment  in  grace, 
and  growing  ripeness  for  glory.  As  He  pledges  his  love 
to  me  iu  this  festival,  so  do  I  pledge  my  body  and  soul,  and 
all, — offered  up  to  him  in  faith,  in  hearty  love,  and  new  obe- 
dience.    Thine  am  I,  O  Lord,  in  time,  and  in  eternity." 

3.  While  the  sacred  elements  are  passing  round  to  others, 
— pour  out  your  soul  to  God  thus  : — "  Accept,  0  Lord,  my 
humble  vows  to  thee,  here  presented  at  thy  table.  Pardon 
the  feebleness  of  m;'  knowledge,  while  I  essayed  to  discern 
the  Lord's  body  and  blood.  Forgive  the  weakness  of  my 
faith ;  the  defects  of  my  penitence  ;  and  the  coldness  of  my  af- 
fections. Pardon,  0  Lord,  every  thing  amiss  in  the  act  of 
my  partaking  of  the  holy  symbols.  And  oh  !  my  heavenly 
Father,  give  me,  I  beseech  thee,  a  token  of  thy  pardon,  and 
my  acceptance,  by  vouchsafing  to  me  a  large  increase  of 
thy  rich  grace." 

4.  And,  here,  0  my  God,  while  at  thy  table,  in  the  near- 
ness of  allowed  communion,  and  filial  boldness,  before  thee, 
I  crave  a  blessing  on  those  who  are  very  dear  to  my  heart. 
I  throw  myself  at  thy  feet :  I  plead  and  wrestle  with  thee,  0 
my  God,  in  behalf  of  that  dear  and  ^blessed  one.*     *  *  * 

♦  Here,  mention  a  father,  a  mother  ;  a  wife,  a  husband  ;  a  brother, 
a  sister ;  a  son,  a  daughter  ;  a  friend  ;— just  as  the  case  may  be  ia 
thy  heart,  in  its  anxious  desires. 

40* 


470  DIRECTIONS    TO    THE    YOUNG    CHRISTIAN. 

Oh !  vouchsafe  thy  Holy  Spirit  to  each  of  them.  0  for 
convincing,  for  converting,  and  quickening  grace  to  each  of 
these  dearly  beloved  relatives.  Bring  each  one  of  them 
home  into  thy  fold,  dear  and  most  merciful  Shepherd,  out 
of  all  "the  places  into  which  they  have  been  wandering  in 
the  cloudy  and  dark  day."  Oh  !  bring  them,  most  gracious 
Lord, — 0  bring  them  all,  to  the  fellowship  of  thy  saints  on 
the  earth :  and  to  thy  fellowship  in  heaven,  at  last. 

And,  0  Lord,  regard  in  thy  divine  love,  aU  thy  dear  child- 
ren, now  before  thee,  at  thy  table.  '^  May  the  good  Lord  par- 
don every  one  that  prepareth  his  heart,  in  sincerity,  to  seek  the 
Lord  God  of  his  fathers  ;  although  he  be  not  cleansed  accor- 
ding to  the  purification  of  the  sanctuary." 

Wilt  thou,  0  King  of  Ziou,  look  in  kindness  and  mercy 
on  our  dear  pastors,  who  watch  over  us,  and  break  the  bread 
of  life  to  us.  Let  the  full  measure  of  thy  promised  presence 
be  on  each  of  them,  in  abundant  and  enriching  supply  of 
all  personal  and  ministerial  grace.  And,  in  due  time,  may 
they,  and  we  meet  in  the  uninterrupted  fellowship,  and  glory 
of  heaven  ;  there  to  be  for  ever  with  each  other ;  and  for 
ever  with  the  Lord  !  Amen. 

ODE. 

Hark  !  the  voice  of  love  and  mercy, 

Sounds  aloud  from  Calvary. 
See  !  It  rends  the  rocks  asunder, 

Shakes  the  earth,  and  veils  the  sky ! 
It  is  fi?jished  ! 
Hear  the  dying  Saviour  cry  ! 

Happy  souls !  approach  the  table, 

Taste  the  soul  reviving  food  ! 
Nothing's  half  so  sweet  and  pleasant 

As  the  Saviour's  flesh  and  blood. 
It  is  finished  ! 
Christ  has  borne  the  heavy  load  ! 


CHAPTER  VIIl. 


DIRECTIONS    TO  REGULA.TE  THE  EXERCISE    OF    YOUNG    COM- 
MUNICANTS, AS  THEY    RETIRE  FROM    THE  HOLY  TABLE. 

As  you  retire  from  the  table,  pour  out  your  hearts  thus, 
in  fervent  prayer : — "  As  I  begin  every  duty  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  with  humble  and  affectionate  prayer  to  him,  so 
must  I  close  with  gratitude,  in  prayer. 

"  0  God,  blessed  be  thy  name  for  the  privilege  I  have 
now  enjoyed.  I  ventured  to  thy  holy  table.  At  thy  call  I 
came,  to  meet  thee,  0  my  God,  and  rejoice  in  the  fresh  mani- 
festation of  thy  glory.  And  not  only  has  no  visible  breach 
been  made  on  me ;  but,  as  I  trust,  thy  love  has  flowed  forth 
to  me  in  its  gently  constraining  influence  ;  as  I  sought  to 
discern  clearly  the  body,  and  blood  of  my  Lord,  and  Re- 
deemer, in  the  holy  symbols :  and  record  my  vow  before 
thee. — Now,  accept,  0  Lord,  my  poor  unworthy  person, 
and  services.  For  I  present  them  to  thee,  not  for  my  right- 
eousness, but  for  thy  great  mercies  in  Christ.  Let  my  vow 
come  up  before  thee,  and  the  pledge  which  I  have  given  of 
my  devotion  to  thee,  in  soul,  in  heart,  and  in  life.  Let  the 
memory  of  this  day's  vow,  and  communion  with  thee,  O 
Lord,  be  cherished  in  the  fresh  remembrance  of  my  heart ; 
until  I  come  again  before  thee  in  this  returning  solemnity : 
and  even  until  I  welcome  thy  coming  to  receiva  me  to  glory 


472  DIRECTIONS    TO    YOUNG    COMMUNICANTS. 

at  my  death.  And,  Oh !  my  gracious  Father,  vouchsafe  me 
thy  gracious  presence  for  the  sustenance  of  every  grace  in 
me  ;  that  I  may  faithfully  pay  my  vow,  daily,  before  thee. 
And,  0  Lord,  to  all  thy  other  favours,  so  graciously  vouch- 
safed to  me,  be  pleased  to  add  this  special  favour,  on  this 
occasion.  iAs  thou  didst  wash  thy  disciples'  feet  after 
the  first  supper  in  the  days  of  thy  flesh,  even  so  do  thou, 
O  Lord,  in  great  mercy,  wash  me  after  supper,  from  eJI 
the  sins  of  my  holy  services.  Forgive  me  my  short- 
comings, in  my  poor  and  ^imperfect  conceptions  of  thee, 
my  Heavenly  Father :  and  of  thee,  my  divine  Redeem- 
er :  and  of  thee,  0  Holy  Spirit,  my  Comforter !  Remem- 
ber not  against  me  the  weaknesses  of  my  faith ;  and 
the  shame  of  my  ungrateful  fears,  and  my  unreasonable 
doublings.  Forgive  the  coldness  of  my  love  ;  the  languor 
of  my  affections,  and  the  unruly  propensity  of  my  desires, 
and  the  disorder  of  my  passions,  and  appetites.  Wert  thou 
to  mark  against  me  these  sins  of  my  holy  things,  I  could 
not  stand  before  thy  sore  corrections.  I  should  pine  away 
in  lingering  weakness,  and  sickness :  and  I  should  sink  in 
the  sleep  of  an  early  grave  !  Shew  pity,  Lord !  O  Lord  for. 
give  !  I  cast  myself  at  thy  feet,^0  my  Father,  in  Jesus 
Christ !  Blot  from  thy  remembrance  my  sins.  Oh  !  my 
God,  incline  thine  ear,  and  hear  me !  0  Lord,  forgive  me ! 
O  Lord !  hearken,  do,  and  defer  not  thy  reviving  visit  of 
mercy.  And  send  me  a  token  for  good,  that  the  soul  of  thy 
servant  may  rejoice  in  thee  all  the  day.  And  let  my  soul 
respond  to  the  enlargement  of  divine  grace  :  and  an  increase 
of  spiritual  desire:  and  of  an  ardent  devotion  :  and  of  a 
singleness  of  eye  to  thy  glory :  and  of  an  humble  and  ac 
cepted  penitence  :  and  of  a  purer,  and  more  exact  obedience 
to  thy  will  :  and  a  growing  conformity  of  my  whole  heart 
and  life,  to  the  lowly,  forgiving,  and  heavenly-mindedness 
of  my  dear  and  blessed  Redeemer.  And,  then,  purer  in- 
cense of  praise,  and  a  holier  offering  of  soul  and  body,  shall 


DIRECTIONS    TO   YOUNG   COMMUNICANTS.  473 

be  rendered  up  to  thee,  as  the  happy  fruits  of  this  commu- 
nion season.  And  glory  shall  be  thine,  for  ever,  in  Christ 
Jesus  :  in  whose  name  I  am  taught  to  pray, — "  Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven,"  &c.  &c.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


ON  THE  SELF-EXAMINATION  TO  BE  PURSUED  BY  THE  COM- 
MUNICANT AFTER  HE  HAS  LEFT  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD  ; 
AND    RETIRED    TO    HIS    CLOSET. 

"  Search  me,  O  God !  and    know  my  heart :  try  me,  and  know  my 
thoughts."  David. 

Having  recalled  to  memory  what  thou  hast  learned  out 
of  the  preceding  pages,  of  the  nature,  uses,  and  ends  of  the 
holy  ordinance,  which  thou  hast  just  celebrated ;  enter  on  a 
pious  meditation  ;  and  put  these  questions  to  thy  heart  and 
conscience,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  thy  God. 

First : — Did  I  sincerely  respond  to  God's  authority  in 
coming  up  to  the  Lord's  Table  ?  Or,  was  I  moved  from 
custom,  or  habit,  or  superstition  ?  How  feel  I  on  this  seri- 
ous matter  ? 

Second  : — Did  I  use  the  Lord's  Supper  with  solemnity, 
and  for  that  end  alone,  for  which  my  blessed  Lord  ordained 
it  ?  Or,  did  I  go  through  it  with  coldness,  and  indifference, 
as  a  customary  ceremony,  courting  the  notice  of  people 
around  me  1     How  feel  I  in  my  conscience  on  this  point  ? 

Third : — Did  I  come  to  the  Lord's  Table  with  a  truly 
Christian  spirit  ?     Did  I  feel  my  mind,  and  heart  opened 


SELF-EXAMINATION    OF    COMMUNICANTS.  475 

to  the  love  of  God  ]  Did  I  discern  the  Lord's  body  and 
blood, — even  his  perfect  atonement,  therein  1  Did  my  soul 
rest  on  it,  alone,  as  the  only  source  of  all  my  hopes ;  as  it  is 
befitting  a  poor  sinner  in  absolute  need  of  pardon,  and 
peace,  and  holiness,  by  Christ's  blood,  and  the  Holy  Spirit? 
And,  0  my  soul,  didst  thou  by  faith,  feed  upon  him  in  this 
joyful  festival  ?  Did  I  humbly  and  earnestly  repent  of  all 
my  sins  ?  Did  I  resolve  to  break  off  all  open,  and  secret 
evil  habits  ?  Did  I  feel  my  heart  warmed  into  a  more  cor- 
dial love  of  God,  and  of  my  brethren  1  Did  I  forgive  all 
my  enemies,  and  pass  by  their  faults,  and  love  their  souls, 
and  pray  for  their  salvation  1  Did  I  utter  my  vow  in  sin- 
cerity, to  be  more  conscientious  in  new  obedience.  Do  I 
now  feel  a  deeper  resolution  than  ever,  to  lead  a  holier  life 
than  I  have  hitherto  done  ;  and  particularly  to  be  less  world- 
ly, and  strictly  temperate  in  all  things  ?  How  feels  my 
heart  in  all  these  points? 

Fourth  : — Did  I  receive  a  joyful  enlargement  of  spirit, 
while,  with  my  whole  heart,  1  poured  out  my  vow  to  God, 
my  Saviour, at  his  table?     Or,  was  I  straitened  in  myself? 

Fifth  : — While  showing  forth  the  death  of  Christ,  before 
my  heavenly  Father,  did  I,  in  any  degree,  feel  some  sweet 
assurances  of  his  divine  love,  and  grace,  confirming  my 
faith  ;  and  thence  weakening,  and  overcoming  my  unbe- 
lief? 

Sixth  : — ^TVhile  showing  forth  the  death  of  Christ  to  my 
own  conscience,  aod  while  busy  mem.ory  brought  up  the 
remembrance  of  past  sins,  and  conscience  accused  me  of 
them,  as  well  as  of  present  delinquencies,  did  I  feel  a  gra- 
cious, and  consoling  sense  of  God's  love  pardoning  me,  and 
accepting  me  as  righteous,  before  him,  through  my  Saviour's 
blood  ?  And  did  I,  thence,  feel  a  deeper  sorrow  for  all  my 
sins,  and  a  more  confirmed  hatred  of  every  iniquity  ;  and  a 
more  fixed  resolution  after  new  obedience  ? 

Seventh : — While  pouring  out  my  soul  before  God  in 


476  SELF-EXAMINATION    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

VOWS  and  prayer,  did  I  feel  myself  relieved,  and  comforted 
against  the  painful  oppression  of  fears,  and  doubts  1  Do  I 
now  feel  my  faith,  and  love  so  much  excited,  and  confirmed 
that  these  doubts,  and  fears  have  been  weakened,  and  are 
beginning  to  vanish  away  ? 

Eighth  : — In  the  course  of  communion  with  God  at  his 
table,  did  I  feel  a  cheering  glow  of  comfort ;  and  thence  an 
increase  of  divine  strength  in  view  of  the  agitating  cares, 
and  distressing  anxieties  of  this  evil  world  ;  and  also  in 
view  of  the  distracting  fears  of  death  1  Can  I  now  look 
forward  with  more  calmness,  and  christian  courage,  and  for- 
titude, to  them "? 

JViiith  : — Having  felt  the  constraining  power  of  God's 
love,  and  saving  grace,  am  I  now  resolved  to  use  all  means, 
and  neglect  no  opportunity  of  promoting  the  peace,  and  the 
salvation  of  every  one  around  me,  in  the  private  and  social 
circles  of  life  ? 

Tenth  : — Do  the  fruits  of  this  holy  ordinance ;  and  do 
my  comforts,  as  well  as  sorrows,  and  disappointments,  stir 
up  in  me  holier  longings  after  heaven,  and  more  prevailing 
desires  to  grow  in  grace,  and  ripen  for  immortal  glory  1 

Eleventh  : — Do  I  envy  the  gayj  the  rich,  and  persons  of 
pleasure  1  Or,  do  I  feel  contented  with  my  lot,  be  it  ever 
BO  humble  1  Do  I  truly  value  the  pleasures  of  pure  reli- 
gion ;  the  pleasures  of  faith,  and  penitence ;  the  pleasures 
of  heavenly  hope  ;  the  pleasures  of  pleasing  God,  and  com- 
muning with  him,  above  every  earthly  objects  ]  Oh  !  my 
God,  grant  me  grace  ever  to  do  so  in  the  uprightness  of  my 
heart. 

"  '  Live,  while  you  live,'  the  Epicure  would  say  ; 
And  seize  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day. 
'  Live  while  you  live,'  the  sacred  preacher  cries ; 
*  And  give  to  God  each  moment  as  it  flies.' 
Lord,  in  my  view,  let  both  united  be : 
I  live  in  pleasure,  whilst  I  live  in  thee  !" 


CHAPTER  X. 


ON  THE   DUTIES    REQUIRED    OF    THE    COMMUNICANT    IN   FU- 
TURE   LIFE. 

A.ND  now,  deal"  Christian,  allow  me  to  take  leave  of  thee 
with  some  closing  remarks  on  the  duties  required  of  thee, 
in  thy  future  life.  Let  me  address  thee  in  the  words  of 
Moses : — "  I  have  taught  you  statutes  and  judgments,  even 
as  the  Lord  my  God  commanded  me.  Keep  them,  there- 
fore, and  do  them ;  for  this  is  your  wisdom,  and  your  un- 
derstanding in  the  sight  of  those  around  you.  Take  heed 
to  thyself,  and  keep  thy  soul  diligently,  lest  thou  forget  the 
things  which  thine  eyes  have  seen  ;  and  lest  they  depart 
from  thy  heart,  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  And  especially 
remember  the  day  when  thou  didst  appear  before  the  Lord, 
at  his  Table. — But,  in  particular  : — 

First : — Be  careful  to  acknowledge  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
all  thy  ways  ;  and  thou  hast  the  divine  and  gracious  assur- 
ance, that  He  will  direct  thy  paths.  Prov.  iii.  6.  Never 
be  ashamed  of  Christ  before  this  wicked  and  adulterous 
generation.  Own  him,  and  he  will  own  thee.  "  Before 
the  gods  sing  praise  unto  him." 

Second  :  —  Be  conscientiously  strict  in  the  important 
duty  of  secret  prayer.  Hurry  not  into  the  bustles  of  the 
tempting  world,  before  thou  hast  communed  with  thy  God 
41 


478  DUTIES    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

in  secret.  Give  not  sleep  to  thine  eyelids,  until  thou  hast 
offered  up  thy  thanksgiving  for  all  divine  mercies  of  the 
day  ;  and  implored  the  continued  goodness,  and  protection 
of  thy  Almighty  and  heavenly  Father.  Secret  prayer  will 
keep  thee  from  secret  sins  ;  or,  secret  sins  will  soon  drive 
thee  from  secret  devotion. 

Third : — Keep  thyself  in  the  love  of  God,  by  using  all 
the  means  of  grace  to  cherish  holiness  in  heart,  and  life. 
The  neglect  of  these,  and  the  indulgence  in  sin,  will  cause 
thee  to  lose  a  sense  of  God's  presence  and  love ;  and  com- 
pel thee  to  go  mourning  without  the  sun. 

Fourth: — "Be  careful  to  keep  thyself  from  thine  iniqui- 
ty,"— even  thy  constitutional  sins, — thy  habitual  propensi- 
ties. Be  on  thy  guard  against  every  temptation.  Never 
parley  with  an  enemy,  or  a  temptation.  Shut  thine  ears  against 
the  voice  of  the  syren.  He  who  listens,  is  already  gone  half 
way  over  into  the  fowler's  snare  !  Repel  the  approach  of 
each  vice,  by  cherishing  the  opposite  grace,  and  virtue. 
Hasten  to  the  fountain  of  Christ's  blood  for  fresh  cleansing. 
Betake  thyself  to  the  blessed  Spirit,  and  implore  his  grace 
to  give  thee  divine  resolution,  and  strength.  And  thou 
shalt  come  off  victorious.  Set  the  fear,  and  presence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  always  before  thine  eyes. 

Fifth  : — Let  it  be  thy  constant  study  "  to  grow  in  grace," 
daily.  Having  become  a  partaker  of  communion  with  the 
divine  nature ;  and  having  escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in 
the  world,  through  lust ;  "  giving  all  diligence,  add  to  thy 
faith,  virtue  ;  and  to  thy  virtue,  knowledge  ;  and  to  know- 
ledge, temperance  ;  and  to  temperance,  patience  ;  and  to 
patience,  godliness  ;  and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness  ; 
and  to  brotherly  kindness,  charity."  By  thus  cherishing 
each  grace,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  thou  wilt  uproot  each 
vice  and  sin  in  thee.  And  thus  thou  wilt  steadily  "  grow 
in  grace  ;"  and  "  keep  thyself  in  the  love  of  God." 

Sixth : — Whilst  thou  art  thus  watchful  over  thy  heart,  be 


DUTIES    OF    COMMUNICANTS.  479 

careful  to  discharge  all  thy  christian  duties.  Shun  the  con- 
tamination of  the  profane.  Devoutly  and  habitually  sanc- 
tify the  holy  Sabbath,  in  private,  and  public.  Render  all  due 
christian  honour,  and  service  to  parents,  and  all  superiors  ; 
and  the  most  exact  charity,  and  kindness  to  thy  equals,  and 
inferiors.  Do  violence  to  no  one  in  thy  thoughts,  in  thy 
words,  or  deeds :  but,  as  a  meek  Christian,  as  far  as  in  thee 
lies,  live  peacibly  with  all  men.  Maintain,  in  the  strictest 
and  severest  manner,  the  laws  of  temperance,  sobriety,  and 
purity.  Abhor,  and  shun  every  violation  of  chastity  in 
action,  and  in  word,  and  in  thought.  The  eyes  of  infinite 
purity,  and  holiness  are  ever  upon  thee.  Maintain  a  deep, 
and  solemn  sense  of  this.  Guard,  I  beseech  thee,  with 
care  and  anxiety,  against  every  sudden  burst  of  passion, 
and  ungoverned  fury.  Such  passions,  and  fury  are  the  at- 
tributes  of  the  children  of  the  Evil  One.  In  the  moments 
of  temptation,  0  think  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ, — and  check,  and  subdue  every  passion  within  thee  ! 
Be  rigidly  just,  upright,  and  honest  in  every  one  of  thy 
dealings  with  man.  Shun,  as  far  as  possible,  communion 
with  the  spirit  of  our  times,  which  is  the  spirit  of  covetous- 
ness  ;  and  the  hurtful,  and  ruinous  love  of  money.  Check 
a  litigious  spirit.  And,  if  practicable,  rather  suffer  wrong, 
than  go  to  law  with  a  christian  brother.  Set  a  watch  on 
the  door  of  thy  lips  ;  and  offend  not  with  thy  tongue.  Abhor, 
and  shun  the  spirit  of  defamation  ;  backbiting;  slander; 
and  all  manner  of  evil-speaking.  Cherish  a  frame  of  mind 
uniformly  gentle,  courteous,  spiritual,  and  heavenly.  This 
will  drive  from  thy  heart,  the  emotions,  and  affections,  and 
deeds  of  "  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry."  Thus,  live 
usefully  to  thyself,  to  thy  family,  to  the  church,  to  thy 
country,  and  to  thy  God.  Endure  unto  the  end,  in  the  faith 
of  all  God's  pure  doctrines  ;  and  in  obedience  to  all  his 
holy  commands,  and  ordinances.  Let  meekness,  and  hu- 
mility be  duly  combined  with  true  christian  courage.     0, 


480  DUTIES    OF    COMMUNICANTS. 

beloved  Christians,  "be  steadfast,  and  unmoveable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  ;  for  as  much  as  ye 
know  that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 

And  let  us  cherish  the  divine  assurance,  that,  in  a  short 
time,  we  shall  be  called  to  the  presence  of  our  God,  in  the 
glorious  assembly  of  the  angels,  and  the  saints,  to  the  un- 
interrupted, AND  eternal  communion  OF  THE  CHURCH 

triumphant,  in  heaven.     Amen. 

ODE. 

"  Jerusalem,  my  happy  home ; 

Name  ever  dear  to  me. 
When  shall  my  labours  have  an  end  ; 

Thy  joys,  when  I  shall  see  1 
When  shall  these  eyes  thy  heaven-built  walls, 

And  pearly  gates  behold  1 
Thy  bulwarks  with  salvation  strong, 

A.nd  streets  of  shining  gold  7 
Oh  !  when,  thou  city  of  my  God, 

Shall  I  thy  courts  ascend  ; 
Where  congregations  ne'er  break  up, 

And  sabbaths  have  no  end  1 
There  happier  bowers  than  Eden's  bloom. 

Nor  sin,  nor  sorrow  know. 
Blessed  seats !  Through  wild  and  stormy  scenes, 

1  onward  press  to  you  ! 
Apostles,  martyrs,  prophets,  there, 

Around  my  Saviour  stand  ; 
And  soon  my  friends  in  Christ  below. 

Will  join  the  glorious  band  ! 
Jerusalem  !  my  happy  home  ! 

My  soul  still  pants  for  thee ! 
Then  shall  my  sorrows  have  an  end, 

When  I  thy  joys  shall  see  !" 


THE    END. 


